


Fishsticks

by Likhoradka



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, Illustrated, M/M, Mermaids, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2017-12-25 11:51:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 39
Words: 100,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/952740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Likhoradka/pseuds/Likhoradka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel is a marine biologist that reluctantly joins his brother in a search for a mysterious underwater creature. Illustrated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So…I drew a picture, and figured it needed a fic to go with it. This'll hopefully be a short, light, fluffy piece.

Posters of diagrams and charts on marine mammals littered the walls of a small, cluttered office with a shuttered window. Several bookcases were overstuffed with books of various sizes, each on marine life and environments. In the midst of it all, sat Castiel Novak, marine biologist. He specialized in marine mammals, and was currently sorting a large collection of whale songs. In the middle of a particularly long note, the chipper sound of Castiel’s email alerted him to a new message. He paused what he was doing, expecting a note from Naomi.

Castiel stared in dismay at his computer screen. His brother had sent him yet another photograph and article on a mysterious animal that had been washed ashore. With a sigh, he scratched at his day-old stubble and set to writing his brother a strongly worded letter on whale carcasses. Photographs included.

It was the same thing every day, and he began to dread seeing the name ‘Gabriel Novak’ attached to an email. Especially when the subject line read ‘Unicorn sighting!’, ‘Mermaids walk amongst us!’, or ‘Bigfoot and Elvis dining with aliens?!’ His older brother had a fascination with sightings of mythical beings and grotesque mutations. And who was Gabriel’s go-to guy for debunking and misquoting?

Castiel groaned as he received another email from Gabriel. He wasn’t even finished with the most recent! He saved a draft and opened the new message, simply labeled as ‘Important!’

_Cas! As you know, I got this sweet gig at the Mythos channel! And guess what?! I can get you in on a couple of episodes. Free money for you to sit around and be our resident grumpy water expert. Best part? You get to be yourself! You don’t have to pretend that anything’s real. They want a skeptic. I told the producers that you’d be perfect. Showed them some of our love letters, and they think you’re shoe-in! Isn’t that great?!_

_I already talked to your supervisor, and Naomi says you can take the time off. Something about dolphins not going anywhere. Think of it as a research grant you didn’t have to work for. You get to play in the water. I know you like that. There might be sharks. Fish. Lots of fish. Red fish, blue fish, big fish, little fish. Everything is paid for! You just have to sit there and look professional._

_I already got your plane ticket. You’re meeting us in Scotland! We’re wrapping up the episode with Nessie. I just need you to take over where our last expert left off. Stand in front of some old architecture, say stuff about how the Loch Ness Monster doesn’t exist. What it would take for her to be alive. The usual the stuff you send me. I have an old email. You could just read that word for word._

_Please? Pleasepleasepleaseplease?! Kali left me and said she won’t come back! Then she said I was immature and selfish! She was perfect! She’s not coming back! I offered her my own paycheck, and she said no!! What do I do? She won’t talk to me! She won’t talk to anyone I know. I’m going crazy out here, and I need a new expert on fish. I promise you’ll have fun. Or as much fun as you can have. You don’t even have to worry about Balthazar. He forgives you! There won’t be any issues. I promise! Please! You gotta help me out! Think of our poor, dead mother! She would want you to help! There is only one answer, and it’s YES! I’ll see you soon!_

_All the love in the world for my baby bro,_

_Gabe_

Castiel glared at the computer screen. He wanted nothing to do with Gabriel’s show. _Gabriel_ was the one that got off on being in front of a camera. He had made his entire living off of chasing imaginary monsters and having guest spots on documentaries. He was the crazy kook that related theories and witness stories. But, the audience loved him. Especially the female audience. It was no wonder he managed to snag his own show.

Castiel clicked on the ‘reply’ button. He wished he could come up with some way to let his brother down nicely, but it was impossible. There was no nice way of saying ‘no’ without Gabriel actually _listening_.

_Dear Gabriel,_

_I regret to inform you that I will be unable to assist you in your endeavor. Here is a list of reasons as to why it will not work:_

_1) Our mother is not dead._  
_2) I have no interest in being on television._  
_3) I have no interest in being misquoted nor having footage of me edited for your personal gain._  
_4) I._  
_5) Do._  
_6) Not._  
_7) Want._  
_8) To._

_I suggest you see to getting a refund for that ticket as I will not be needing it._

_Sincerely,_

_Castiel Novak,_

Castiel nodded to himself and sent the email on its way. Now, maybe he could get some actual work done. He still had about fifty sound files of whale songs to catalog before he could start on the dolphins.

A soft knock interrupted him, and he slouched forward, hanging his head. ‘Come in,’ he called, not meaning it. He gasped as he was pulled from his chair and wrapped in a tight hug. Gold hair filled his vision, and the scent of hair gel and chocolate filled his nose. ‘G-Gabriel?!’

Castiel managed to extract himself from Gabriel’s hold, and he stared at his brother in disbelief. ‘I…I thought you were in Scotland?!’ he stuttered. ‘Why are you here?!’

‘I came to get you,’ Gabriel replied.

‘No.’

Gabriel pouted, letting his lip quiver. ‘But…Naomi already approved your time off,’ he said. ‘She says it’ll be good for you.’

‘She wants to take over my project!’ Castiel pointed out. ‘She’s been looking for any excuse to get me out of the program!’

‘It’s _sounds_!’ Gabriel whined. ‘A bunch of whales moaning and dolphins clicking! It’s boring.’

‘It’s communication, and it’s important! It’s important to _me_!’ Castiel grabbed Gabriel by the collar and tried to shove him out the door.

‘And _this_ is important to _me_! Cas, you need to get out of this closet,’ Gabriel said, bracing himself against the doorjamb. ‘I’ll get you back in the water. Where you belong. Looking at _real_ fish. I know it’s a dumb show, but it can _open doors_!’

‘No one would touch me if I went on something like that. I’d lose all respect,’ Castiel said, letting go of Gabriel. Even though Gabriel was shorter, he was the stronger of the two. ‘What I’m doing right now is important. Why do you think Naomi wants it for herself?’

‘Cas, I was just at your apartment, packing your suitcase. Don’t give me that look! I saw your fridge,’ Gabriel said. He poked around the bookcases, looking at the books and seashells. ‘You can’t live off fishsticks.’

‘I _like_ fishsticks,’ Castiel argued.

‘Your _cat_ eats better than you.’

True, he did have a habit of throwing himself so far into his work that he had lost sight of everything else. It was why all his relationships went downhill. It was the reason Balthazar hated him. You could only forget about a date and run off on expeditions at the last second so many times. Fifteen, in Balthazar’s case. It was the trip to the Caribbean that was the last straw. ‘Look, I’m doing fine. If you really need my help, then I can…I can set up a little area in my apartment to make recordings. Would that work?’

Gabriel thinned his lips as he stared up at Castiel. ‘I…I wasn’t gonna show you this until later, but…’ He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded photograph.

‘Gabriel, no,’ Castiel said, turning away. ‘I’m not interested in your aliens or mutants or whatever you think it is.’

‘That’s just it. I _don’t_ know what it is,’ Gabriel softly replied. ‘I don’t wanna show it to anyone else yet. In case I _did_ find something.’

Castiel sighed and held out his hand. He took the photograph and stared. It was surprisingly clear compared to Gabriel’s normal mystery photos. Poking out just behind a reef was a long, green, scaly tail. It was striped with a darker shade of green, and its fins were lavender and violet. Fake or not, it was a beautiful specimen. He frowned as his eyes settled on the tail fin. ‘It’s fake,’ he said.

‘What?’ Gabriel snatched the photograph back.

Castiel pointed to the tail. ‘They did their research this time. I’ll give them that. That’s a very convincing scar from a shark bite, but they’re trying to mix mammal and fish. The tail fin is horizontal. It’s…a nice picture? Very convincing. I’m sure it’ll look great on your show.’

Gabriel let his arms drop. ‘But…but _I_ took it! I was the only one there! I know I was…’

Castiel remained silent. His brother was always showing him photos that he thought were real, but none of them were Gabriel’s. ‘ _You_ took it?’ he eventually asked.

‘Yeah,’ Gabriel quietly replied. ‘I didn’t fake it. I swear! I was in Bora Bora, doin’ some preliminary photos for the show. I didn’t even think it was something weird when I took the picture. Thought a shark was swimming by or something. And that’s not the only one…but it’s the clearest photo I got.’

Castiel took the photo again. If it _was_ real, then…would that outweigh the stigma of being on Gabriel’s show? A new species. It would certainly be more fun to be back in the water instead of being stuck behind a desk… He could always work on a personal project on Gabriel’s dime if it didn’t pan out. ‘I’ll do it,’ he heard himself say.

‘Great! You’re all packed, and I got your cat in the car!’


	2. Chapter 2

Castiel stared at the small laptop screen in horror as he set down the small glass of whiskey he held. He had absolutely no recollection of the events he was watching.

_Castiel was bundled up in a heavy, black coat and a blue knitted scarf. He kicked at a nearby stump. ‘You’re all idiots!’ he screamed. ‘How can you even **think** something like the…the Loch Ness Monster exists?! Look at that lake! Look at it!’_

_The camera obediently panned to the lake. Castiel reappeared in frame, pointing out to the dark water. ‘Certainly not a herd or pod or…or whatever you would call a whole family of them! There is no way a lake this size could sustain them. Let’s say—let’s just pretend, for one moment, that there **is** a lake monster. Hell, let’s go all out and say it’s a plesiosaur! Just one.’_

_He passed out of frame, his scarf trailing behind him. The camera soon followed, catching him stumbling along a dirt path. He spun around, and the image on the screen jerked back as Castiel glared. ‘So what happened to the rest of them? Animals don’t magically appear! Where are its parents?!’_

_‘In the ocean?’ a voice from off-camera supplied._

_Castiel pulled up straight gave a dirty look. ‘Then what’s a saltwater animal doing in a freshwater lake?’_

_The camera shook minutely, and Castiel rolled his eyes, continuing on his way down the dirt path. ‘Okay, fine. **Somehow** , our sea-going creature got stuck in this lake. A plesiosaur could live, what? A hundred years or so? Okay, if the damned thing **does** exist, it was first sighted in the 1930s. There have been eighty years to catch concrete proof of this thing, and…oh! There **is** nothing solid!’_

_He came to a stop at the edge of the lake. ‘At least with giant squids, we had their remains! Scarring on whales! This?’ He waved his hand at the lake. ‘With this, there’s **nothing**! All this technology, and you have nothing to show for it! And sorry to break it to you, but even if the first sighting was of a juvenile, then you’re running out of time! You have maybe twenty years to find this thing. If it even exits. Which it **doesn’t**!’_

_‘Forty if we’re lucky!’ Gabriel’s voice added cheerfully._

_Castiel stalked past the camera. He came back into frame, dragging Gabriel with him. ‘Then go find it!’ he shouted as he shoved his brother into the lake. ‘If anything, it’s a fucking **seal**! Go play with your stupid photographs of seals and elephant trunks! Want me to call Elvis and see if he’ll help you? I can’t believe I let you drag me out here, you fucking little—’_

The scene went black and Castiel took a shaky breath. ‘I guess we need to reshoot?’

Gabriel clapped Castiel on the back, laughing. ‘Oh, hell no! The producers _loved_ it! They think you should do all of your segments drunk!’

Castiel pulled back, staring at his brother in shock. ‘W-what?! No! I just needed to calm my nerves! I didn’t mean to… I wasn’t supposed to get _drunk_!’

‘Not my fault you can’t hold your liquor,’ Gabriel replied with a shrug.

‘I’m _ruined_!’ Castiel moaned as he buried his head in his hands.

Gabriel rubbed Castiel’s back soothingly. ‘Hey…you’re doing me a big favor here,’ he said. ‘If…if this really does ruin your career, then…I’ll take care of you. Your horoscope said good things are coming.’

‘I don’t believe in that nonsense,’ Castiel said, his voice muffled by his hands.

‘That’s okay. I have enough belief for both of us!’ Gabriel closed the laptop and picked it up off the desk. ‘Now, hurry up and get packing! We leave for Bora Bora in the morning. This is gonna be so much fun! Should we call it a sea serpent or a sea dragon? ‘Cuz the eye witnesses have been calling it both.’

Castiel dropped his hand into his lap and stared up at his brother forlornly. ‘You shouldn’t call it anything until you have proper proof,’ he replied.

Gabriel frowned at Castiel. ‘But I have proof.’

‘Better proof. A full shot of the body. Video… Catch one… Something more than a questionable photograph,’ Castiel explained. ‘The scientific community will shoot you down based on that one picture.’

‘You didn’t. Not entirely,’ Gabriel pointed out with a smile.

Castiel shook his head as he leaned back in his chair. ‘That’s because I know you. And…I’m trusting that you’re not lying to me.’

‘I’m not,’ Gabriel swore. ‘Besides, I just need proof for myself. Fuck the audience. Fuck the _scientific community_. They can have blurry photos and mysterious sonar readings. I’m already a laughing stock. I don’t have a career to ruin.’

Castiel wished he had his brother’s positive outlook on life.

 

 

 

.-.-.-.-.

It was a beautiful January evening in Bora Bora. Clouds were slowly drifting toward the island as a lone observer watched from the edge of a small, weather-worn pier. He was a tall, young man with soft brown hair and hazel eyes. He was Sam Winchester, the mysterious man that had washed ashore three years ago with no identity and no memory. At least, that was what everyone on the island thought. He sighed as he crossed his arms, letting his gaze drift down to the water of the lagoon. His eyes narrowed as a dark shadow passed beneath the surface.

‘Comin’ in or goin’ for a swim?’ a voice asked from behind him.

Sam turned and smiled at the older man that had become like a father to him. ‘I’ll be in in a few, Bobby,’ he replied.

Bobby nodded and turned back. ‘Better make it quick,’ he said over his shoulder. ‘Storm’s comin’ in. Don’t need you havin’ any accidents.’

Sam nodded as he turned his attention back to the water. It had been years since he’d been in the ocean. Years since he’d last seen—

A fin of alternating darker and light violet skimmed the surface of the water just in front of him. ‘No way…’ Sam looked around, making certain no one was around before kneeling down on the edge of the wooden pier. He sent out a series of soft, dolphin-like clicks, and a grinning face poked out of the water.

Sam couldn’t believe his eyes. Right before him was his older brother. He backed away as the other surged up, propping his torso onto the pier. A long, green fish-like tail with violet fins trailed behind him, vanishing into the water.

‘Fuck,’ Sam muttered. ‘How the hell did you find me, you idiot?’ He asked a more polite version of his question with quiet clicks and whines.

‘I’m not an idiot!’ the apparent merman said defensively.

‘You speak English?!’ Sam said in shock. ‘ _How_?’

The merman nodded, clearly proud of himself. ‘TV,’ he replied. ‘Have you ever seen _Doctor Sexy_?’

Sam shook his head, bewildered. ‘Why are you here,’ he asked.

‘Not allowed to check on my baby brother?’ the merman asked. His eyes ran over Sam’s body, and he pulled a disgusted face at Sam’s legs. ‘You look awful.’

Sam squeaked out his brother’s name in an irritated tone.

‘Dean!’

‘What?’

‘My human name! Dean,’ he declared. He pushed off the pier and dipped below the surface, reappearing to Sam’s right. ‘I like it! What’s yours?’

‘Sam… Sam Winchester.’

Dean blinked up at Sam. ‘You have two names?’

‘First and last name… I was named after the uh…Winchester Mystery House,’ Sam replied. ‘I chose “Sam” for myself. I guess…you would be “Winchester,” too.’

‘Dean Winchester…’ Dean floated back a few feet as he stared up at the darkening sky. ‘Okay. I’ll take it.’

Sam sat on the edge of the pier as he watched his brother. Dean ducked under again, his tail following his path. Sam winced when he caught sight of the scars. He forced a smiled as Dean resurfaced.

‘So…were you ever planning on coming back?’ Dean asked.

Sam shook his head. ‘I…I’m happy here. I’m used to it.’

‘Show me around the island?’

Sam stood and backed away. ‘I haven’t been in the water since I left.’

‘But… It’s gone,’ Dean said. ‘We killed it, remember? There’s nothing to be afraid of.’

‘It’s not that,’ Sam said.

‘She wouldn’t want you to mourn her forever,’ Dean said.

‘I know… I’m moving on. I’ve…dated. Mostly tourists. No one worth…splaying for,’ Sam said, imitating fins by spreading his hands at his sides. He shook his head, sending a lock of hair into his face. He pushed it back and frowned as his eyes fell onto Dean’s shorter hair. ‘You cut your hair.’

Dean smiled brightly. ‘Yeah! You like it?’

Sam nodded. ‘It’s a good look on you,’ he said. His brother was certainly handsome, but as far as merfolk were concerned, Dean’s colors weren’t up to snuff.

‘So…what’s it like?’ Dean asked. He reached out and tapped on Sam’s shoes. ‘Does it hurt?’

Sam moved his foot away, laughing softly. ‘It itches during the change. But clothes? They’re all right. If you want…you can come to live with me. See for yourself?’ he offered. He held his breath as Dean stared at the wood of pier. With his brother right in front of him, he wanted more than anything for him to stay.

Dean eventually looked up at Sam. ‘I don’t know,’ he said quietly. ‘It’s not like I really have anything to go back to.’

‘What about—‘

‘Pretty blue fins?’ Dean shook his head, looking away. ‘We had our fun, but she found someone else. White tail…bright orange fins.’ He shrugged. ‘They look good together. The have a cute kid. Light orange and blue spots.’

‘I’m sorry…’ Sam sighed as kneeled down. He ran his hand over Dean’s forearm.

‘It’s fine,’ Dean said easily. ‘I’m just not mate material.’

‘You’re an amazing hunter,’ Sam pointed out. ‘A strong swimmer… Anyone would be lucky to have you as a mate.’

Dean smiled bitterly as he lifted the end of his tail out of the water and spread his fin. ‘Too bad I’m the wrong color, huh?’

Sam shrugged as he looked at Dean’s tail fin. Dean just didn’t have the same contrast as most of their kind. Sam had been blessed with a pale yellow tail with deep blue-violet markings. Sam had found that humans had it a lot easier. They got to _choose_ how they presented themselves. Scars were potentially revered as great adventures and marks of bravery. For Dean, his scars were a flaw that marred his already bland tail.

Thunder echoed in the distance, and the pair looked to approaching clouds.

‘You should find some shelter,’ Dean suggested. ‘Or hop in.’ He looked up at Sam with a small smile.

‘I’ll head inside,’ Sam quietly replied. ‘You could come with me. I mean it. You might actually like it.’

Dean pushed away from the pier. ‘Nah, I’m good. I found a nice little cave that way,’ he said as he pointed north. ‘Got some great views of humans. They’re so…weird looking.’ He eyes drifted to Sam’s legs. ‘Those, uh…toes are freaky.’

Sam frowned as his mind supplied a small bit of information Bobby had told him the other day. ‘Oh, my God… _You’re_ the sea serpent?!’

‘Sea what?’

‘Why didn’t I…argh!’ Sam pulled at his hair as he paced back and forth.

‘What? What’s wrong?’ Dean bobbed along, mirroring Sam’s path.

‘You have to find somewhere else to stay!’ Sam said, hoping Dean would catch the urgency in his voice. ‘Here, come up to the house. We’ll get you dried off and let everything blow over.’

‘I’m not going on land!’ Dean said in disgust.

‘Then you have to _leave_!’

‘No! Not without you!’

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. If Dean had learned English from television, then just what concepts did he understand? Dean had learned English from television… ‘Who gave you a TV to watch?’ he asked.

Dean narrowed his eyes at Sam. ‘My friend has it on his boat,’ he carefully replied.

‘You’re friend.  Great. Your _friend_ is probably the reason they’re coming!’ Sam said, throwing his arms in the air. ‘He probably told them all about you, thinking he’s gonna get rich!’

‘Who? _Who’s_ coming?’

‘There’s a…TV show coming. They’re coming here to find a sea serpent that’s been sighted in the area,’ Sam explained. ‘They’re coming here, looking for _you_!’

‘I get to be on TV?’ Dean said, smiling.

‘No, that’s _bad_!’ Sam glanced up as a bright flash filled the sky. He didn’t have long to convince Dean. ‘Humans are greedy. They murder their own kind. If they’re willing to kill each other for a…a few bucks, then what do you think they’ll do to _you_?’

‘Benny’s not like that,’ Dean said softly.

‘Benny…Benny _Lafitte_?’ Sam let out a shocked laugh. ‘Oh, my God…’

‘Dean,’ Dean said when Sam began to click out his name.

‘Fine. Dean. You can’t trust that…that pirate,’ Sam said. ‘He’s been to prison.’ Dean stared at him in confusion. ‘That’s where humans send people that do bad things.’

‘Oh! The big house! Yeah, he told,’ Dean said, smiling reassuringly. ‘He was in a…gang. Robbed a bank. He’s a good person now.’

‘No, he’s not!’ Sam argued. ‘About four months ago, his business partner supposedly drowned. They never found the body. Everyone knows he _killed_ him to keep the business for himself!’

Dean pulled himself up onto the pier. After a small struggle, he managed to get into a sitting position with his tail trailing back into the water. He stretched out his primary and secondary fins, showing off new tears. ‘This,’ he said, ‘would have been a lot worse if Benny hadn’t killed that jerk.’

‘What?’ Sam felt a numbness overtake him as he sat down.

‘Benny saved my life. I was stealin’ fish from their net when it pulled up, and I got caught. That guy was aimin’ to kill me right there on that deck. Benny shot him,’ Dean said quietly, running his fingers along the edges of the tears. ‘Took him a little while to untangle me, but the moment he did, he pushed me back in the water.’

‘I don’t… Why would he do that?’ Sam asked.

Dean shrugged as he flicked his tail back and forth. ‘I showed up a few times, and he never made any attempt to catch me. Just started calling me “Dean.” He’d talk to me, play the radio. Then he gave me his little TV,’ he said with fondness. ‘He was trying to distract me so he could fish without me getting in the way. Apparently, I scare the fish.’

Sam let out a relieved laugh. ‘That doesn’t change the fact that there are people coming that want to find you.’

‘Then I’ll make myself scarce,’ Dean said, dropping back into the water. ‘Which is what you should do if you don’t wanna get wet.’

Sam stared at the rippling water beneath his feet. A bathtub just didn’t have the same feel as the ocean. He had snuck into a pool once, but the chlorine had left him itching for weeks after. He knew that if he jumped in, he would probably leave everything he had behind. He was happy with his current life. Sharks didn’t stalk people on land.

His eyes focused on Dean’s concerned face when he felt a soft tapping on his shoe.

‘Sam… You need to hurry… I’ll be fine,’ Dean promised. ‘I’ll be careful.’

Sam nodded as he got to his feet. ‘Stay out of the lagoon. Especially during the day.’

Dean winked as he swam backward. ‘Hey, one good thing about my colors,’ he said, ‘I don’t stand out like you would.’

Sam turned away after Dean disappeared into the water. He wondered if he should warn Bobby. Maybe the older man would turn the television crew away from their small hotel. He sighed to himself. He couldn’t ask that of Bobby and Karen. They had given him so much and asked for nothing in return. They had kept his secret when they didn’t have to, and even asked him if he was comfortable with the crew staying at the hotel.

Besides, Karen was looking forward to the publicity it would bring them. That, and she happened to have a crush on the host of the show.


	3. Chapter 3

Gabriel stared at the front of the hotel. It looked like a house that had been converted into a bed and breakfast. He looked back down at the piece of paper he held in his hand. It was the right address. The name was right, too. Singer Hotel.

‘Is something wrong?’ Castiel asked, setting his luggage and cat carrier next to Gabriel. He looked back at the small boat that was being unloaded by the rest of the small TV crew. His eyes met Balthazar’s and he quickly looked away. Balthazar was being civil, very cold and standoffish.

‘This can’t be right,’ Gabriel said, looking up and down the road.

Castiel took the paper from Gabriel’s hand and examined it. ‘They’re giving us a great deal,’ he said before handing the sheet back and picking up his luggage and cat carrier. He headed to the door and looked over his shoulder when he didn’t hear Gabriel following. ‘Aren’t you coming?’

‘But it’s…ugh.’ Gabriel made a face and turned to look out over the lagoon. Across the way, he could make out the bungalows of the higher end resorts. He stared longingly as the crew slowly sifted past him. He jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder and looked up to see Balthazar’s grinning face.

‘C’mon, Gabe. It’s not that bad,’ Balthazar said.

‘We have three rooms between us,’ Gabriel said. ‘Anna and Charlie will shack up, so who do you think is gonna stay with Cas and demon-cat?’

Balthazar pulled his hand back as if burned. ‘Not it.’

‘Yeah, I know,’ Gabriel said bitterly. ‘Samandriel’s allergic, you’re…doin’ a good job getting on with him, so that just leaves me.’ He sighed as he trudged toward the door. ‘Did he ever apologize?’

Balthazar snorted as he followed Gabriel. ‘No. He wouldn’t mean it anyway. I can tell he’s not sorry. Scotland was one big reminder of why I left him.’

Gabriel stopped just short of the door and turned back to Balthazar. ‘Uh… What does Scotland have to do with him ditching you?’ he asked in confusion.

‘Castiel. Crowley. Alone in the Caribbean. Shit ton of booze. Footage that should be uploaded to a porn site. Ring any bells?’ Balthazar said flatly.

Gabriel’s eyes widened in shock. ‘He… Cas and… _Crowley_?’

Balthazar nodded slowly. ‘That’s why I dropped his ass. Not for running off on research projects. _That_ I understood,’ he explained.

Gabriel looked around and pulled Balthazar aside by the elbow. ‘Wait, wait, wait… He _cheated_ on you?!’ A disbelieving laugh escaped his lips at Balthazar’s nod. ‘With Crowley. Crowley-Crowley? Shark expert Crowley?’

Balthazar rolled his eyes and nodded. ‘Yes. _That_ Crowley.’

‘But he… They don’t really like each other,’ Gabriel said. ‘I mean…they’ve done things together. Seals and sharks, but… _sex_?’ He pulled a disgusted face. ‘There’s no way! Even if they _were_ into each other, Cas wouldn’t make a sex tape! He’s…Cas. He thinks sex with the lights on is adventurous.’

Balthazar patted the bag hanging over his shoulder. ‘I have video to prove it,’ he said.

Gabriel stared, slack-jawed, at his cameraman and film editor. ‘You have a sex tape of my brother,’ he said tonelessly. ‘You have a _sex tape_ of my _brother_ in your bag. I-I can’t let you keep it! Oh, my God…do you _watch_ it?!’

‘Only when I feel like trying to get back together,’ Balthazar admitted. ‘Been a while, though.’

Gabriel stuck out his hand. ‘Hand it over,’ he said. He dropped his suitcase and reached for Balthazar’s bag when the other made no move to retrieve the sex tape. ‘Give it here, or you’re fired!’

Balthazar dodged Gabriel’s hands and quickly reached into his bag. After scrounging around for a moment, he pulled out a nondescript CD case. ‘Here. Take it! Go watch it and see just how innocent your baby brother is. Never knew he was that kinky.’

Gabriel snatched the case away and clutched it to his chest. ‘I’m not going to _watch_ it! Jesus, _you_ shouldn’t have watched it, either! What is _wrong_ with you?!’

‘Hey, it’s not _my_ fault they recorded their little tryst in the middle of their documentary,’ Balthazar said defensively. ‘They’re lucky _I_ got to it first. I could have uploaded that in an instant. Some of the guys I work with woulda been more than happy to upload that. Uriel especially.’

Gabriel fumbled with the CD case as he picked up his suitcase. What was he supposed to do? Should he give the disc to Castiel? Should he even _tell_ his brother about it? He couldn’t just drop it in the trash. He would have to find a hammer and smash it into tiny pieces then throw it on a fire. ‘And this is the _only_ copy?’

‘Yeah. Just that one,’ Balthazar said. ‘Destroyed the original film. Don’t know if I wanted to blackmail him or what when I made the copy. Just…couldn’t be with him after that.’

Gabriel swallowed and nodded to himself. ‘Okay… I… Fuck. Can you not say anything to him? A-at least until _after_ we’re done with the show?’

‘Gabriel? Gabe?’

The two men looked over as Castiel’s voice drifted closer.

‘Won’t say a word,’ Balthazar said quietly as he walked past Gabriel. He brushed against Castiel and couldn’t help taking a deep breath, catching a whiff of the lingering scent of Castiel’s soap. Four years, and he still used the same soap.

Castiel flinched away as Balthazar stalked by. He rubbed his shoulder where they had touched. ‘Um…They need you to sign for the rooms,’ he said. His eyes fell on the CD case Gabriel held. ‘Is everything all right?’

Gabriel flattened his hand, pressing the case against his chest. ‘Yeah, just peachy! Sorting out roomies.’

‘He’s still mad at me,’ Castiel said, barely above a whisper. ‘I shouldn’t have come. I can leave in the morning.’

‘What? No! If I have to choose between a cameraman and my brother, I’m going with my brother,’ Gabriel said.

Castiel shook his head. ‘He was on this project first. It wouldn’t be right.’

‘Cas, I need you here! I need you on the show,’ Gabriel pleaded. He came closer to Castiel and smiled uncertainly. ‘He just points the camera at you, splices stuff together…no talking. You guys don’t need to interact.’

‘I can find somewhere else to stay,’ Castiel suggested. ‘I think Crowley knows someone at the Four Seasons. I could get a room over there, and you could just call whenever you need me.’

Gabriel stiffened at Crowley’s name. ‘You’re…on good terms with Crowley?’ he asked, not sure if he’d like the answer.

Castiel shrugged. ‘We find each other useful,’ he replied.

Gabriel pulled a sickened frown. He didn’t think he’d be able to sleep that night. Not with visions of his brother and Crowley running through his head. He’d only seen the shark expert in two suits. Business suit and wetsuit. The man looked more like a lawyer than a scientist. He couldn’t help but wonder what his brother and Crowley could possibly get up to. He could feel the case’s weight getting heavier in his hand. ‘Useful’s…nice,’ he weakly replied.

Gabriel followed Castiel inside the small hotel, stuffing the CD case into the front of his luggage. The interior was decorated like a tiki bar from the 50s. A tiki head with a toothy grimace glared at the pair from behind the lobby desk.

‘Please tell me the rooms don’t look like this,’ Gabriel whispered.

‘I’ve stayed in worse,’ Castiel said as he made his way to the cat carrier. He knelt down and poked his fingers through the cage door and barely winced as sharp claws dug into him.

Gabriel sighed and walked up to the desk. He gave the woman behind the desk a winning smile. ‘Hi! I’m Gabriel. I guess I need to sign something?’

The woman’s smile widened and she pushed a black and white photo forward. ‘Right here. And if you could make it out to Karen?’

Gabriel blinked at the picture of himself standing next to a plaster dinosaur. ‘Oh. Oh! Right! Sorry!’ He laughed as he signed his autograph with a flourish. ‘Wow! That is…that’s an old one,’ he said fondly.

‘First show you were on,’ Karen confirmed. She pulled out a small stack of papers and set them in front of Gabriel. ‘I also need you to sign these…’

After the last page was signed, Karen handed over several sets of keys and pointed to the right. ‘Just head on down that hall and up the stairs. Your rooms are the first three on the right. Dinner will be served at seven in the dining room, which is through that door,’ she said, pointing to the door on the left. ‘Don’t be afraid to ask for anything.’

Gabriel took the keys and smiled. ‘Sure thing. Thanks, Karen,’ he said with a wink. He turned and headed toward the hallway. He made it about halfway when a door opened and someone rushed out into the hall, running into him.

Gabriel was knocked off balance, dropping his suitcase and the keys to the floor. He was surprised when strong hands latched onto him, keeping him upright. He looked up when a concerned voice asked if he was all right. And he kept looking up. ‘Someone should put up a handsome moose crossing sign,’ he mumbled.

Sam smiled as he let go of Gabriel. ‘No, I just need to look where I’m going,’ he said. His eyes traveled over the shorter man and continued down the line of people in the hall. His eyes rested on a very shocked looking redhead. He opened his mouth and quickly shut it, keeping himself from speaking his native tongue. He tried again, forcing a friendly smile. ‘I-I’m sorry… You look very familiar…’

‘C-Charlie,’ the redhead stuttered. ‘Charlie Bradbury. Uh…I don’t…remember _your_ name.’

‘Sam Winchester,’ Sam replied. First his brother, now his childhood friend. Was the entire colony just waiting to appear at his doorstep? ‘Wait…you’re with…this?’ he asked, gesturing to Gabriel and the rest of the crew.

Charlie shrugged helplessly. ‘It’s a living.’

‘You two know each other?’ Gabriel asked, looking between Sam and Charlie. When he looked back at Sam, he gave the taller man a wary gaze. ‘You’re not a crazy tree hugger, are you?’

‘ _Conservationist_!’ Charlie said sharply. ‘Gilda has never firebombed or sabotaged anything, so quit accusing her!’

‘Remind me why she’s not here?’ Gabriel said sweetly.

Charlie huffed and tightened her grip on her bag as she pushed past everyone in the hall and stomped up the stairs. She poked her head back around the corner and smiled at Sam. ‘We’ll catch up later, okay?’

Sam nodded before turning back to the rest of the group. He knew there were plenty of merfolk that left their colony, but he had always assumed they had simply moved to a different one. Seeing Charlie made him wonder just how many of them were on land masquerading as human. As the rest of the crew made their way down the hall, Sam’s eyes followed Gabriel, his eyes slowly drifting down. He finally understood Karen’s crush. Seeing the man in person definitely swayed his interest. He gave Karen a smile as he entered the lobby.

Karen held up the signed photograph, grinning ear-to-ear. ‘I’m getting this framed!’

Sam laughed and shook his head. ‘You’re hopeless.’

Karen smirked as she set the photograph down. ‘You, too. If you stared any harder, you would have burned a hole through his pants,’ she said.

Sam blushed and hurried out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Gabriel looked out the window of the room he would be sharing with Castiel for the time being. He stared longingly at the bungalows across the lagoon—mere blobs in the distance, but he knew what they were. How they sat on wooden stilts in the middle of the water. He desperately wanted that luxury to be his own. Sighing, he let his gaze fall down to the dirt path that led to the front of the small hotel.

‘Well, at least the view’s good,’ he said, cocking his head to the side. He held his hand out to where he assumed Castiel was. ‘Gimme the binoculars.’

Castiel looked up from unlatching the front of the cat carrier. He reached into his brother’s bag and pulled out the small set of binoculars. He approached the window and followed Gabriel’s gaze. Sam was bent over, tying his shoe. He handed the binoculars over without question.

Gabriel giggled as he focused on Sam. ‘Would you look at those legs?’ he muttered. ‘No, no, don’t stand up! Yes! Turn around! Fuck, look at that chest… Do you think he swims? Can I get him to go swimming with me?’

Castiel scoffed as he left the window. ‘And how will that work out? Are you going to wear those little blow-up arm things?’

Gabriel ignored Castiel in favor of watching Sam. He could swim just fine. Fine enough. He could go up and down with scuba gear, and that’s what mattered. ‘Hey! No! Come back!’ He whined as something caught Sam’s attention, making the tall man rush toward the old pier.

He dropped his hand to his side, grunting in disappointment. He looked over at Castiel, who was pulling a large, fluffy, orange tabby from the cat carrier. He grimaced at the cat. ‘How’s Muffin doing?’

Castiel held the cat in his arms and smiled. ‘He’ll be fine when the sedatives wear off.’

‘Great,’ Gabriel said in a forced tone. He still had scratches running the length of his arms from when he had to force the cat into the carrier at Castiel’s apartment. He had even taken precautions and wore a heavy coat and gloves for protection. ‘He’s not gonna murder me in my sleep, is he?’

Castiel threw his brother a half-hearted glare. ‘As long as you leave him alone, he won’t bother you,’ he said as he set the cat on one of the beds. He pulled out a muffin tin from his luggage and placed it on the bed next to the cat. He was grateful that Gabriel remembered to pack Muffin’s tin.

A soft knock drew the brothers’ attention to the door. ‘It’s open,’ Gabriel said as he set the binoculars on the windowsill.

The door opened a crack and Samandriel’s smiling face appeared, his blond hair poking out from under a red and white Wienie Hut cap. ‘Just wanted to let you know that I’m about to start setting up interview times,’ he said. ‘Anna’s heading out to scout some nearby locations. Uh…when did you wanna shoot the underwater scenes?’

Gabriel scratched at his head and looked to Castiel. ‘Doesn’t matter to me. They’re your scenes, Cas. When and where?’

Castiel shot Gabriel a glare. ‘I didn’t agree to that,’ he said. ‘I agreed to shooting down your theories. I even agreed to…to doing it _drunk_. I’m not having any…scenes.’

Gabriel grinned easily and slapped Castiel on the back. ‘It’s nothing big. You’re just…directing. You’re gonna point at what Balthazar needs to shoot. That’s it. No camera time.’

Castiel narrowed his eyes at Gabriel. He didn’t think it was a good idea. If that was all that Gabriel needed, then he could easily shoot the footage himself. He could set up a time and leave early to do it himself. He turned his attention back to Samandriel. ‘Any time after noon and before…five,’ he said. Just let me know a day ahead of when you plan to schedule.

Samandriel nodded happily and disappeared.

‘I know what you’re planning,’ Gabriel said.

‘Then you won’t be surprised or worried when you can’t find me,’ Castiel replied.

.-.-.-.-.

Sam looked up from tying his shoe when he heard a soft splash of water. He was about to brush it off as paranoia when he caught sight of a flash of violet cresting the water. He glanced around quickly to make certain he was alone before hurrying to the pier. He reached the edge and knelt down. ‘Dammit, Dean!’ he whispered harshly. ‘Why are you here?!’

Dean floated out from under the pier. ‘I got bored. Besides, there’s more people here to look at.’

‘Do you have _any_ idea what you’re risking?! What if they see you? Th-that film crew is _here_! The one I told you about? They. Are. _Here_!’ Sam hissed, pointing back at the hotel.

‘Geez, Sammy… It’s not like I’m gonna be seen or anything,’ Dean said, swimming a slow circle around the pier. He turned over and glanced at the edge of the cove where Sam had come from. A dock with two small boats tied to it sat on the water. ‘I’m gonna guess the bigger one’s theirs.’

Sam followed Dean’s gaze. ‘Yeah… I don’t know when they’re planning on filming,’ Sam said. ‘They’ve booked their rooms until the end of next month.’

‘Then I’ll steer clear of their boat,’ Dean said. ‘Sound good?’

Sam sighed as he sat on the edge of the pier. Without physically dragging his brother away, there would be no way to guarantee Dean’s safety. ‘I guess,’ he reluctantly mumbled. ‘Oh! Get this, _Charlie_ , uh…’ He squeaked out Charlie’s given name. ‘She’s with that film crew.’

Dean smiled incredulously up at Sam. ‘No way! I thought she just moved to the southern…uh… What word do I use?’

‘I figured “colony” was as good as any,’ Sam replied. ‘Or tribe? I dunno…’

‘So she’s all…dried out?’ Dean asked. ‘Do the rest of them know?’

‘I…don’t think so,’ Sam said slowly. ‘She seemed pretty shocked to see me, and she didn’t even hint at what we are.’

Dean nodded to himself, thinking. ‘Hey! Do you think she’ll wanna go for swim? I mean, since you don’t want to… It’s kinda lonely in here.’

Sam shrugged as he shook his head. ‘I’ll ask her…if I can get her alone.’

Laughter drew their attention, and Dean quickly ducked under the pier.

Sam recognized the blond man and the other redhead as being on the film crew. He watched and listened carefully as they came closer.

‘C’mon, Anna. It’s not that bad!’ Balthazar said. He checked the battery life on his handheld video camera as he followed Anna along the dirt path.

‘Yes, it is! Could you _be_ any more pathetic?’ Anna said with a laugh. ‘Look, it’s none of my business, but if you wanna go crawling back to that asshole, go for it. No one’s stopping you. Definitely not him.’

 Balthazar pulled up short when he looked up from his camera and his eyes fell on Sam. ‘Hello, Charlie’s friend,’ he greeted.

‘Sam.’

‘Sam. Right… I’m Balthazar, and this is Anna,’ Balthazar said, gesturing to himself and Anna. ‘You’re staying at the hotel, too?’

Sam got up, surreptitiously checking to make sure Dean wasn’t visible. ‘Actually, I live there. I work for the Singers,’ he replied.

‘Well, that’s good news,’ Anna said. She raised her own camera—a beat-up looking thing with small, plastic film canisters taped to the strap. ‘Do you think you could point us in the direction of some good views?’

Sam slowly walked towards land, hyper-aware of the soft splashes beneath him. ‘I guess… Uh… Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?’

‘Tropical island paradise,’ Anna replied. ‘The more tropical, the better.’

‘We need stuff that looks like you would actually find a sea monster here,’ Balthazar explained. ‘Good example: Loch Ness Monster equals lots of castles.’

‘So…waterfalls, dangerous outcroppings of rocks in the middle of the ocean…’ Anna looked around for an idea. ‘Oh! A shipwreck! Are there any old shipwrecks nearby?’

‘Yeah! That’s a fantastic idea!’ Balthazar said with a big grin. ‘Mysterious wreckage at the bottom of the ocean. What sank this ship? Rumor has it, it was a sea dragon.’

‘Serpent,’ Anna corrected. ‘We’re calling it a sea serpent.’

‘Dragon sounds cooler,’ Balthazar said petulantly.

‘Cas refuses to say “dragon,” so we’re stuck with it.’

Balthazar laughed, shaking his head. ‘If he thinks “dragon” is bad, wait ‘til we do the unicorn episode!’

Anna gave Balthazar a sidelong glance and a smirk. ‘He doesn’t know yet,’ she said. ‘He didn’t read his contract all the way through. Gabe made sure of that.’

‘Oh… Can I tell him? Please tell me I can break it to him,’ Balthazar begged.

‘Gabe’s telling him tonight.’

Sam shifted awkwardly from foot to foot as the pair went into hysterics. ‘I guess I can mark out some places on a map for you,’ he said. The entire thing made him uncomfortable, but if he knew where the crew was going to be, then he’d be better prepared to keep Dean hidden.

‘Oh! Sorry! Right, uh…’ Anna wiped at her eyes, still giggling. ‘Yeah, that sounds great. Just hand it over to Samandriel when it’s ready.’

‘She meant add a “please” and “thank you”,’ Balthazar said as Anna walked of, heading down the coastline.

Sam watched as the pair walked along, occasionally stopping to take a photograph or laugh. He really needed to speak with Charlie and make sure that she would help keep everyone away from Dean. But first, he needed to make that map.

‘I’ll be back later,’ he said quietly. ‘Don’t do anything stupid!’ He flinched as a few drops of water hit his back. He turned around and glared sharply at his brother, who was floating just next to the pier.

Dean slowly sank back down, spitting out the rest of the water. ‘Not like you woulda changed… Not with a couple drops.’

‘And you knew this for a fact?’ Sam said snippily.

Dean silently shook his head and looked away. ‘I just remember Mom telling me…’

Sam sighed, unable to stay mad at Dean. ‘It’s fine. Just… Please. Please, don’t get caught.’

Dean vanished under the water, and Sam watched as the dark shadow of his brother faded into the distance. For Sam, it was too much too fast. Dean, Charlie, and the film crew. He could have probably handled two of the three. With a heavy sigh, he headed back to the hotel, intent on making his map.


	5. Chapter 5

Charlie had somehow managed to escape the Novak room with her sanity and her life intact. She had been helping Castiel to set up his new laptop and get connected to the Wi-Fi. Castiel wasn’t the problem. He was the perfect, silent observer. He didn’t micromanage, ask stupid questions, or try to take over halfway through. Gabriel, on the other hand…

She had seen Gabriel naked before—camping in the woods in the same tent, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bigfoot, almost guaranteed it. But she didn’t need to see him squeeze into a pair of obscenely short, denim, cut-offs. And he would not stop griping about the heat.

And then there was the cat. Charlie shuddered as she rounded the corner and descended the stairs. She knew well enough to not go anywhere near Muffin. The cat absolutely adored Castiel. It was very misleading to see him sitting in Castiel’s lap, belly up and purring loudly. If anyone else tried to pet him, he would hiss and swipe. She had seen it firsthand. Seen the bloody trails that Muffin left behind. So she was thoroughly disturbed when Muffin sniffed at her, deemed her worthy, and sat next to her.

When Charlie reached the lobby, she was a little surprised to see Sam sitting behind the front desk, bent over a map and making marks with a Sharpie. She smiled awkwardly as she approached him. She cleared her throat and Sam looked up. ‘Hey,’ she said, waving her hand.

‘Uh…hi,’ Sam replied. He looked around and saw no one else in the lobby. Just him, Charlie, and the tiki heads. ‘So…you’ve been dry the whole time?’

Charlie stared blankly for a moment. ‘Oh! No, uh… I still…swim on occasion. My girlfriend, Gilda…she has a cabin by a lake.’

‘Gilda?’

‘She’s human,’ Charlie replied. ‘It’s okay! She would never tell anyone. She’s a wildlife conservationist and uh…activist.’

Sam nodded in understanding. ‘Karen and Bobby know… They almost turned you guys down because of me,’ he said quietly.

‘How’d you meet them?’ Charlie asked as she leaned on the tall desk.

‘I dried out on the beach…got picked up by the authorities…and uh…met them at the hospital where I was getting checked out. Bobby was there for a sprained ankle. They had extra room, so they took me in,’ Sam replied. ‘It was only supposed to be until I uh…“remembered” who I was.’

‘But you stuck around,’ Charlie said with a smile. ‘I met Gilda when she was chained to buoy.’ She quickly backpedaled at Sam’s alarmed expression. ‘No, wait! She was doing it on purpose! I mean…it was a protest? She was protesting overfishing. A storm blew in, and she almost drowned, but I saved her. Oh, you shoulda seen her, Sam… She was so gorgeous on that beach. Her hair spread around her...her lips… I kissed her and she woke up.’

Charlie tucked her hair behind her ear, and she giggled. ‘I freaked out and tried to get back into the water, but uh…I was kinda staring at her for a while. Long enough for it to be low tide and…dry. I didn’t even notice.’

Sam laughed, trying to imagine Charlie attempting to escape discovery. From his own experience, learning to walk wasn’t the easiest thing. He was lucky in that no one had seen his first steps. ‘So what happened?’ he asked after he caught his breath.

‘She went a _little_ nuts on me,’ Charlie replied, pinching her fingers together. ‘Eventually made it back to the water. Well, enough to get wet. And I…broke her.’

‘Yeah,’ Sam said with a nod. ‘Same thing happened with Bobby. After the first year of being here…I got caught in the rain.’

Charlie winced. ‘There’s an app that warns you within fifteen minutes,’ she said. ‘People think I’m crazy with all my rain gear… So, uh…how did he take it? What did he say?’

‘That explains a lot,’ a gruff voice said from behind Charlie.

Charlie gasped and spun around, pressing herself against the desk. She stared up at the older man with wide eyes. A hand touched her shoulder and she jumped. She quickly glanced over her shoulder, afraid to take her eyes off the man in front of her, and saw Sam’s reassuring smile.

‘It’s okay,’ Sam insisted. ‘Bobby’s safe. Karen, too. They’ll keep our secret better than we can.’

Bobby snorted as he walked past Charlie and set an old toolbox on the desk. ‘Damn straight. I’m surprised that all of humanity don’t know about you lot.’

‘Well…I don’t know how many of us there are,’ Charlie said, forcing herself to relax. ‘Leaving home…it’s not exactly something we do. Even moving to another community is frowned upon. Unless it’s for mating.’

Bobby frowned as Sam nodded in agreement. ‘Guess that makes sense. Comin’ from a smaller town, everyone thought we were crazy when me and Karen left for Bora Bora.’ He stretched his back, pulling a few cracks from it. ‘I’ll leave you two to get reacquainted,’ he said as he headed toward the hallway with the rooms.

‘Oh! That reminds me,’ Charlie said as she turned her full attention back on Sam. ‘He came here with his wife, so…where _is_ your mate?’

Sam stiffened and quickly looked down. ‘She’s…there was a shark,’ he said quietly. ‘Wasn’t there when it happened.’

‘I’m so sorry,’ Charlie said, laying a hand on Sam’s arm. ‘That’s why you left, isn’t it?’

Sam nodded. He still felt sorrow at the loss, but it was nowhere near as painful as it had been in the beginning.

‘Your family doesn’t have very good luck with sharks,’ Charlie said. She quickly snapped her mouth shut, well aware of just how rude she sounded. ‘Sorry.’

‘No, you’re right. First, my mom…then my mate… My father…he got it in his head that it was the same shark that killed mom, so he went after it,’ Sam said, shaking his head. ‘Dragged me and Dean along.’

Charlie held up a hand. ‘Wait. Dean? Dean who?’

‘My older brother.’

Charlie’s face lit up. ‘Freckles! If I were into the whole mating scene, I’d go for him. But…not exactly my type.’ She paused and her face fell, remembering the story Sam was currently telling. ‘Freckles is…dead?’

Sam blinked as he stared at Charlie. It was a pretty decent translation of Dean’s given name. ‘No…he’s alive. He actually showed up the other day.’

Charlie sighed in relief. ‘Oh, good. We should all meet up later. Continue!’

‘Uh…we found the shark,’ Sam said with a shrug. ‘And it didn’t go well. Dad died saving Dean, and Dean…he got bit. His fins are…pretty messed up.’

‘Bet he looks awesome,’ Charlie muttered. ‘I-I mean… That’s awful. It’s really awful, but I bet his fins look cool.’

Sam let out a choked laugh. ‘I… You never fit in. You or Dean. If you had stayed…’

‘Then we’d be friends,’ Charlie finished. ‘Nothing more. I don’t swing that way, and Freckles only saw me as a sister.’

The main door opened, and Balthazar and Anna entered the lobby, still conversing.

‘Even if there _is_ a second season, there’s no guarantee that we’ll all be kept on,’ Anna said as she stepped through the door. She gave Charlie and Sam an uninterested glance and headed for the hallway.

‘Well, _Cas_ is guaranteed,’ Balthazar said. He nodded to Charlie and Sam before following after Anna. ‘If he stays, I _have_ to go. One night was bad enough with him hanging off me like nothing happened. I don’t think I can handle much more.’

‘Don’t worry. I’ll keep you in check. It’s not like you’re preserving his innocence by not making a move,’ Anna said, her voice starting to fade as the pair made their way down the hall. ‘You can tell he wants it bad.’

The voices vanished, and Charlie bristled, glaring at the hall. ‘Cas is a nice guy,’ she muttered. ‘He made _one_ mistake, and now they’re all high and mighty about it. They’re worse than mermaids!’

Sam poked Charlie’s arm and grinned. ‘ _You’re_ a mermaid,’ he pointed out.

Charlie scoffed as she crossed her arms. ‘So, what? Just means I know my own kind. And we’re shitty people, Sam. Don’t deny it.’

Sam sighed as he looked down at the map he had been working on. ‘Yeah…’

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel looked up from his laptop as he heard Balthazar’s voice in the hall. He couldn’t make out what was being said, but by the way it seemed to quiet down just in front of his door…he could guess what the subject was. He sighed as he reached down and scratched Muffin’s head. He had to remind himself of a piece of advice his friend, Meg, had given him: Anyone the cat hates, you’re not meant to be with. And that was a lot of people. It also included Meg, and she had given him the advice _after_ she had received a set of deep scratches on the back of her hand.

A large bottle was thrust in front of him, and Castiel looked up to give Gabriel a dirty look. ‘I’m busy, Gabriel,’ he said. ‘I will _not_ drink with you.’

Gabriel set the bottle next to the laptop and leaned against the wall next to the small desk that Castiel was in front of. ‘I just thought we could share a celebratory drink,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Because of what we’re doing with the show. It’s gonna be great. Lots of good exposure. You’ll get your own fanbase.’

Castiel sighed as he leaned back in his chair. ‘You’re trying to butter me up for something. Save us both some time and trouble and just spit it out.’

Gabriel bit his lip and glanced around the room. His eyes landed on the door. It wasn’t too far away. The room was small enough. He could probably make it out before Castiel could catch him. If he could make it to where other people were, he’d be safe. He pushed off the wall and nonchalantly placed his hands behind his head. ‘The thing is…the producers like you,’ he said. ‘And I mean _really_ like you.’

‘I know,’ Castiel ground out bitterly. He watched his brother in suspicion. ‘You already told me this.’

Gabriel shrugged and dropped his arms to his sides. ‘And that’s why…I needed you to sign that waiver.’

Castiel rolled his eyes. ‘Yes, I know! I’m not going to sue if I get hurt or die while drunk. We’ve been over this.’

‘Yeah…so… The waiver was included in a contract for you to be on the rest of this season _and_ season two if we get signed on,’ Gabriel said in a rush as he darted for the door. He didn’t stop as he heard Castiel screech and Muffin hiss. He burst through the door and threw himself down the hallway toward the stairs. He half-fell down the wooden steps and kept running when he reached the bottom. He was almost to safety. Someone was bound to be in the lobby. A few more feet and… He looked over his shoulder, relieved to find that Castiel was nowhere to be seen. His foot caught the edge of a rug and he went flying, taking a vase of flowers with him.


	6. Chapter 6

Sam and Charlie jumped back as Gabriel tore into the room. They watched in morbid fascination as he tripped and reached out, knocking a glass vase of flowers off the front desk.

Gabriel stumbled and tried to catch the vase, failing miserably as he hit the ground and the vase shattered.

‘Uh…you okay?’ Charlie asked. She nudged Gabriel with the toe of her shoe, drawing out a groan. ‘He’ll live,’ she said to Sam, who was leaning over the desk to assess the damage.

Sam began to walk around the desk just as Gabriel was picking himself up. He clipped the corner as he was distracted by the way Gabriel’s cut-offs rode up his ass. He clutched the desk, unable to pull his eyes away.

Gabriel kept his legs straight as he bent over to rub his sore knees. His hands hurt, too. And his knees were beginning to feel wet. He blinked as he pulled his hands away from his knees, revealing both to be coated in blood. He sighed in irritation as he made fists, sending a little jolt of pain through his palms. He straightened and looked over to the desk, catching Sam’s wide eyes and bright blush. He frowned as his mind failed to supply a reason for Sam’s reaction. He held up his hands, revealing his wounds. ‘You got a Band-Aid?’

Sam nodded dumbly and disappeared behind the desk, pulling out the first-aid kit.

‘Is that Cas’s shirt?’ Charlie asked.

Gabriel looked down at the grey shirt as he plucked a piece of glass from his hand. ‘I dunno,’ he admitted. ‘Maybe. It _is_ kinda long. Hey! It looks like I’m not wearing pants!’ He noticed the broken glass on the floor and stooped to pick up the pieces. He heard a choked sound come from behind him as he gathered up the larger pieces. He looked back and saw Sam rummaging in the first-aid kit and Charlie staring at his ass. ‘Something wrong?’ he asked as he stood up and dropped the glass on the desk.

‘Yeah… Did you get those shorts from the women’s section?’ Charlie asked.

‘Of course not!’ Gabriel held out his hands as Sam pulled out a bottle of peroxide. ‘I got them from the juniors’ section. C’mon, Sam, make with the fizzies.’

Sam uncapped the peroxide and tried to keep his eyes from wandering lower. He soaked a cotton ball and began dabbing at Gabriel’s scratches.

Gabriel growled in annoyance as Sam took his time. He was about to cup his hands together and tell Sam to just pour the peroxide in when he looked up to see the light blush on Sam’s cheeks and the determined stare. He blinked rapidly as he finally registered just how gentle Sam was being. He glanced at Charlie and nodded his head to the door.

Charlie rolled her eyes and quietly backed away. She silently wished Sam good luck as she made herself scarce. Gabriel was going to owe her a very large favor that she would be certain to collect on. Especially if he actually got anywhere with Sam.

Once Gabriel was sure that Charlie was well out of earshot, he flinched and hissed sharply.

‘Sorry!’ Sam apologized, dropping the cotton ball onto the desk. He ran his thumb across the side of Gabriel’s hand as he pulled out the bottle of alcohol. ‘Now…this _will_ sting. I’ll try to make it quick, okay?’ He glanced up and received a stiff nod from Gabriel.

‘O-okay… Um…could you keep doing that? With your thumb, I mean?’ Gabriel asked shyly. He bit his lip and offered a shy smile for extra measure. ‘It’s…comforting.’

Sam smiled and nodded, relaxing a bit as he looked down. He prepped another cotton ball and took Gabriel’s hand into his own. He slowly swabbed the small cuts, expecting Gabriel to jerk away every time he touched a cut with the alcohol. But Gabriel remained perfectly still and didn’t make a peep. Sam finished and pulled out a box of gauze. He glanced up and swallowed at the intense stare Gabriel was giving him. ‘Uh…’

‘Would you be really mad if I kissed you?’ Gabriel asked.

Sam leaned back and looked to where he thought Charlie was, only to find her missing. ‘Uh…I uh… I don’t…know,’ he said. Sure, he thought the TV host was attractive, but he probably shouldn’t push his luck. Not when said TV host happened to work on a show about mythical creatures. He held up the box of gauze. ‘We should probably finish patching you up…’

Gabriel sighed and took the box from Sam. ‘Yeah. Thanks,’ he said with a shrug. He waved off Sam as he turned away, already wrapping up his hands. He looked over his shoulder at Sam. ‘Is it ‘cuz I’m sorta famous?’ he asked. ‘If you feel…I dunno…threatened? Don’t be. I’m a regular guy. Perfect for dating. No…wait. Are you straight?’

Sam shook his head. His hair fell into his face and he reached up to tuck it back. ‘No, I uh…I’m…open to…people?’ he replied uncertainly. How could he explain merfolk sexuality without saying anything?

Gabriel finished wrapping his hands and turned back towards Sam. ‘Is it… Is it because I believe in unicorns?’ he asked anxiously. He hadn’t been exactly discreet about his belief on any show he’d ever been on. Normally, he could laugh it off and justify his belief as goats with one horn. It usually threw people off when he was completely honest. Charlie was probably the only person that thought it was possible. Then again, _she_ believed in mermaids.

‘Unicorns? What does that have to do with anything? No, it’s…,’ Sam trailed off. He didn’t want to use the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ line. He reminded himself that Charlie worked with Gabriel, and the two seemed to know each other fairly well. He could try dating Gabriel for the short time that the crew would be there, see if it went anywhere. If Gabriel was worth trusting. ‘Actually, I guess…I could show you around the island tomorrow,’ he said. ‘Private tour?’

Gabriel’s head shot up. He had been expecting to be shot down. He stepped forward with a big grin and froze when his heel came down on something sharp. ‘Are you any good at digging out glass?’

‘W-what?!’

‘I’d ask Cas, but he’s kinda mad at me,’ Gabriel replied. He hopped over to the desk and propped his foot up. He gestured along the length of his leg with a proud smile. ‘Trust me, Sammy, lots of perks with dating me. Flexibility’s only the tip of the iceberg!’

Sam smiled uncertainly as he pulled out a set of tweezers. He couldn’t keep his eyes from wandering up Gabriel’s leg. He choked on his own spit when he noticed Gabriel twisting to give him a better view.

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel rubbed at his legs where Muffin had dug in his claws. He had stood up, momentarily forgetting the cat in his lap. He sighed as he began looking through Gabriel’s suitcases, not bothering to put anything back. He needed to find that contract and either tear it to pieces or find a way out. After half an hour of searching, he had found no trace of the contract.

Where would Gabriel have hidden it? Who would he have given it to? Certainly not Samandriel. Charlie would be more on Castiel’s side. That left Anna or Balthazar. He decided to try Anna first.

Castiel looked to the clock. There was about half an hour left until dinner would be served. Should he wait? He shook his head as he headed to the door. He should just get it over with.

He knocked on the third door of the hallway and waited. The door opened to reveal Balthazar with a towel loosely wrapped around his hips. ‘I…was looking for Anna, actually. But the same question still applies.’

Balthazar raised a brow and cocked his head to the side. ‘And what would that be?’

Castiel’s eyes drifted downward. Balthazar still looked good. Maybe he should have invited the other man on his research trips instead of leaving messages on voicemail after he had arrived at his destination. ‘Did Gabriel give you my revised contract?’ he asked as his gaze drifted along Balthazar’s stomach and hip bones. He could still remember the feel of Balthazar’s skin under his fingers.

Balthazar’s hand came into view, and Castiel followed its path up. He held his breath as Balthazar reached out and cupped his cheek. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest, and nimble fingers ghosted over his lips. He opened his mouth slightly and moaned at the taste of Balthazar’s skin. A smile tugged at his lips. Maybe being stuck in Bora Bora wouldn’t be so bad. Instantly, the fingers were gone, and he focused on Balthazar’s face. He recognized the disappointed look. It was the same look he got when they had broken up.

‘You haven’t changed,’ Balthazar said quietly. ‘Still thinking with your cock.’

Castiel narrowed his eyes and frowned. ‘I don’t—’

‘I don’t know who has your contract. Not me, and not Anna. That’s all I know,’ Balthazar said, shutting the door.

Castiel stood in front of the door in a daze. What had just happened? What was Balthazar going on about? He trudged back to his room, wondering just what he was going to do. As he entered his room, he glanced at his laptop. He may as well check his work email. Maybe send a message to Inias to see how the project was going.

He sat down at the desk, pulled up the access site, and logged in. After five minutes of staring at the error message, Castiel shakily reached over to the bottle of champagne.


	7. Chapter 7

Gabriel bounced anxiously in his seat as he waited for the others to arrive for dinner. One by one, the rest of the small television crew showed up. Sam set six glasses of water around the table and gave Gabriel a concerned look.

‘You okay?’ Sam asked when Gabriel’s head shot up at the sound of the door opening.

‘Yeah…uh… Everything’ll be all right. Eventually,’ Gabriel replied. He relaxed when he saw Samandriel enter the dining room, looking over his shoulder in confusion.

‘He thinks Cas is gonna murder him in his sleep,’ Anna explained.

‘He won’t when he realizes it’s for the best!’

‘How is getting him fired “for the best”?’ Samandriel asked as he sat down.

‘I didn’t get him fired,’ Gabriel said. ‘He’s taking time off to be here. He’s gonna quit on his own. I know him, and he just needs a push in the right direction. _Away_ from that…toxic environment and crazy woman.’

‘Well, I just passed him in the hall, and he uh…went on and on about how it’s your fault he got fired… After he flirted with me,’ Samandriel said before picking up his glass of water. ‘He said he won’t be joining us for dinner.’

Gabriel groaned and dropped his head onto the table. ‘He’s definitely gonna kill me… And hide the body.’ He looked up and stared miserably at everyone around the table. ‘If I die from a _shark attack_ , he did it. I know he can do it. Fuck…maybe this was a mistake…’

Charlie rubbed Gabriel’s back and shushed him. ‘He’ll get over it,’ she assured him. ‘He just needs to let off some steam.’

Gabriel sighed as he sat back in his chair. ‘Anyone wanna switch rooms?’ He was met by multiple scoffs and laughter.

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel took another swig from the bottle of champagne. He stared out across the lagoon while he leaned against a palm tree. He pushed off the tree and unsteadily made his way to the edge of the old pier. His life was ruined. All his plans were ruined. And it was all thanks to his meddling older brother. He lifted the bottle to his lips again and groaned in frustration when he found it to be empty.

He dropped his arm and swayed uncertainly. There was a soft splashing coming from beneath him, and he looked down. At first, there was nothing, then a flash of color appeared under the surface, followed by a splash behind him. He frowned as he leaned over more. He could just make out something beneath the pier. If he could just get a little closer… He squawked loudly as he lost his balance and fell into the water.

Dean had been hoping to speak to his brother again, but, instead, some other person was on the pier. He didn’t think twice when the stranger fell into the water. He darted forward and pulled the human to the surface and helped him back onto the pier. He hurried to the side and clung to edge, making certain to hide his tail and fins. ‘Hey, uh…you okay?’ he asked.

Castiel nodded as he pulled himself into a kneeling position and coughed. ‘Y-Ye—‘ He broke off into another coughing fit. When he could breathe normally, he took a moment to catch his breath. His head was still swimming in alcohol. He looked over to see a young man staring at him with wide eyes. He blinked slowly as he replayed what had just happened. ‘Were you under the pier?’

Dean’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of blue eyes. ‘Uh…yeah… Um… Was lookin’ for my brother?’ he managed to reply. He could feel his fins rising around him, and he quickly forced them back down. Yes, the human was attractive, but mate-worthy? There was no tail, no fins, no markings to judge. Just dark hair, blue eyes, forearms littered with tiny scars and a few fresh scratches, nice lips…and the voice that came from those lips…

Castiel got into sitting position and crossed his legs. He leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. ‘Are you skinny dipping?’ he asked suspiciously, his eyes dipping down.

Dean bit his lip. ‘Uh… I dunno. What’s a skinny dipping?’

‘Are you naked,’ Castiel reiterated.

‘Oh! Of course!’ Dean happily replied. He fought against his fins as Castiel smirked at him.

‘My name’s Castiel.’

‘D-Dean…’ Dean leaned away as much as he could as Castiel crawled onto his stomach and propped himself onto his elbows.

‘So, Dean… Why are you swimming around naked if you’re meeting up with your brother? Or is that just an excuse for getting caught?’ Castiel looked over Dean’s arms and chest, and he really liked what he saw. The small part of his mind that was possibly sober reminded him that he didn’t know anything about the man in front of him. Another part reminded him of his college years. Years that he had tried to leave far behind. Not even Gabriel knew what he had gotten up to.

Dean shrugged and tapped his fingers on the wood of the pier. ‘Yeah, you caught me… Just out havin’ some fun and uh…had to hide when you showed up.’

Castiel nodded. So _that_ was what he saw. ‘Well, don’t feel like you have to hide anymore,’ he said, smiling. ‘I’m friendly.’

Dean edged along the pier to a corner, and Castiel followed. ‘I can see that...’ He glanced down to find his secondary fins completely splayed. He let go of the pier to push them down and dropped into water.

Castiel hurried to edge and peeked over, seeing no sign of Dean. ‘Dean?’

‘I’m okay!’ Dean said as he popped up on the other side. He was blushing brightly, still not completely in control of his fins. He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t bring himself to swim away and leave the human. No, he knew exactly why. He had found that he liked how humans looked. How different their legs were compared to his fins. And their voices… Especially _this_ human’s voice. He just wasn’t expecting his body to react as if courting a mate.

Castiel looked over his shoulder and smiled. ‘There you are. You should come up here.’

‘N-naked. Remember?’ Dean’s grip on the edge of the pier tightened as Castiel settled in front of him again.

‘Believe me, I don’t mind. I’m having a shit day…you could make it better,’ Castiel said. ‘Here, I’ll make us more even.’ He sat up and struggled to pull his wet shirt over his head.

Dean breathed in sharply as Castiel’s head came free from the shirt. Short, dark hair stuck out in every direction. Dean wanted to touch it, to feel it beneath his fingers. He swallowed and didn’t move when Castiel leaned in close, inches from his face.

‘I could take more off,’ Castiel offered.

‘You look fine just like that,’ Dean breathed. His thoughts came to a grinding halt when chapped lips pressed against his own. He stared as Castiel pulled away, frowning down at him.

‘Oh…sorry,’ Castiel murmured. ‘I thought…’

‘Thought what?’ Dean asked. He still couldn’t gather his thoughts. Not with Castiel’s bare chest within reach.

‘That you liked me,’ Castiel said petulantly. He sighed sat back, staring at the path that had brought him do the pier. ‘Sorry to ruin your evening. I’ll just…go.’

Dean reached out and placed a hand on Castiel’s ankle. ‘No, stay. I _do_ like you… It’s just…I’ve never kissed anyone before,’ he said.

Castiel shifted his stare to Dean. ‘Really. Good looking guy like you?’ he said incredulously. ‘I find that hard to believe.’

Dean shrugged as he softly rubbed Castiel’s ankle. ‘Never got that far, I guess,’ he said. Well, he had gotten pretty far, but his kind went in a different order. Kissing was for mates. ‘But…I’d like to try it out. With you.’

Castiel laughed and placed his hand on top of Dean’s. ‘Then come on up here.’

Dean almost hefted himself onto the pier, but stopped himself just in time. ‘Uh… could you…close your eyes?’ he asked. ‘I’m a little shy.’

Castiel shook his head but closed his eyes nonetheless. He’d done far stranger.

Dean pulled himself up onto the pier, the end of his tail still in the water. Lightly, he touched Castiel’s chest. His fins spread out at the sound of Castiel’s deep moan. He guided Castiel next to him, careful to keep his fins from touching the human. He leaned in close and paused just in before touching Castiel’s lips with his own. ‘Never done this before,’ he whispered.

Castiel smiled and pecked Dean’s lips. ‘It’s okay. I’ve got plenty of experience. I’ll show you.’ He pressed forward again, blindly aiming for Dean’s mouth. He caught the side and kissed his way to the front, nipping and sucking. He gently bit down on Dean’s lower lip and tugged on it. He giggled when Dean pushed him down and joined in the kiss.

Dean followed Castiel’s lead, matching and imitating movements. Castiel’s tongue dipped into his mouth and swirled against his own tongue, and he groaned loudly. He was leaning over Castiel, covering half his body with his own, his fins spread as far as they could go.

Castiel held onto Dean’s shoulders tightly and he arched against him. He could feel something cold and clammy brush against leg every now and again, but he ignored it. Dean’s enthusiasm was much more interesting.

Dean wanted to feel more of what Castiel had to offer. And he wanted to feel it all over, but fins and scales were nowhere near as sensitive as skin. He was about to pull the rest of his tail from the water when he was forcefully pushed off the pier.

He resurfaced, fully prepared to fight, and found Sam glaring down at him. ‘What?!’

‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?!’ Sam shouted.

‘Taking my mind off things,’ Castiel grumbled. He scratched his head as he sat up, looking around. ‘Dean?’

Dean ignored Sam’s protests and pulled himself up so that he was once again peeking over the edge at Castiel. ‘Right here,’ he said with a smile. ‘I uh…slipped.’

Castiel smiled back. ‘Then come back up here, and we can pick up where we left off.’

‘I don’t think that’s a good idea,’ Charlie said as she made her way to Castiel. ‘C’mon, Cas. Let’s get you inside. Gabriel’s worried about you.’

Castiel crossed his arms and glared at Charlie. ‘I’m not speaking to that…that assbutt… But I might be willing to speak with you.’

‘Gabe said he left you with champagne. Did you drink the whole bottle?’ Charlie asked.

‘So, what?’

Charlie shook her head as she stooped to collect Castiel’s shirt and help him stand. ‘Hey, Freckles,’ she said to Dean. ‘Wish I could stay and chat, but…I have babysitting duties.’

Castiel looked down at Dean. ‘I’m staying at the hotel over there,’ he said, pointing. ‘Room number twenty-one. My door’ll be unlocked.’

‘His door will be locked,’ Charlie said.

‘I’ll be right here tomorrow night!’ Dean said, grinning at Castiel’s nod.

She urged Castiel forward and nudged Sam to get his attention. ‘Don’t be too hard on Dean. I’ve only seen it once, but Cas comes on _hard_. And he won’t remember it in the morning, so there’s nothing to worry about.’

Sam nodded at Charlie and watched her take Castiel back up the path to the hotel. He sighed as he turned his attention back to Dean. ‘What were you thinking?! _Were_ you even thinking?!’

Dean rolled his eyes and flicked his tail out behind him. His fins were still in a position to show off. ‘He fell in, and I helped him out,’ he said. ‘Then he kissed me.’

‘So that gives you permission to…to initiate a mating?!’

‘What?! No!’ Dean glared up at his brother. ‘It’s just kissing. I know enough about humans that it doesn’t mean the same thing. He wanted it!’

‘He’s _drunk_! God, Dean… You can’t take advantage of people like that.’

‘Is that…why you’re mad? Because he’s drunk?’ Dean asked uncertainly. ‘I don’t…understand. What’s drunk?’

Sam sat on the edge of the pier, shaking his head. ‘He wasn’t in his right mind. You can do what you want with him when he’s sober. Er…in his right mind. Look, the fact that you were on top of him with your fins…’ He trailed off with a sigh. ‘You probably won’t understand this, but…he’s a marine biologist. He studies fish. If he were to find out about you…us…’

‘Hey…I’ll be careful.’

‘If he even remembers,’ Sam pointed out.

‘C’mon! How could he forget _me_?’ Dean said cockily. He lost his grip as Sam pushed him and fell back into the water, laughing.


	8. Chapter 8

Castiel awakened slowly. Orange filled his vision. He blinked, and his eyes eventually focused on Muffin staring at him. ‘Good morning.’

Muffin purred loudly and bumped his head against Castiel’s nose before moving to lick at his hair.

Castiel moved his arm to pet Muffin and received a warning growl. He stopped and sighed as he waited for Muffin to finish grooming him. He was certain there was a scar on the top of his head from the first and only time he had tried to cut his bath time short.

Muffin finished and hopped off the bed to sit in the window, and Castiel pushed himself up onto his elbows. He looked around the room in dismay. It was still a mess from when he had torn everything apart, searching for the contract. He felt a pang of guilt, but refused to clean the room. He looked at the other bed, finding it vacant, and wondered how long Gabriel would be avoiding him.

Surprisingly, he didn’t feel as awful as he probably should. He was tricked into signing on for another season. He was just laid off due to ‘budgeting constraints.’ And yet, he felt pretty good. He sat up and stared at his lap, wondering if Gabriel had somehow slipped him something. He wouldn’t put it past his brother.

He took another look around the room, and his eyes feel upon a box nestled in the wastebasket. It was the box that Gabriel’s peace offering had originally come in. He frowned as he stared at it. Where was the bottle? Bits and pieces of the previous night drifted back to the front of his mind. He groaned as he buried his face in his hands.

He had called up his coworker, Inias, demanding to know why he couldn’t get into his email, and everything went downhill from there. He could remember leaving the hotel, heading down the path to kick at the boat his brother had rented, and then going to the older pier to drown his sorrows. He was pretty sure he fell in at some point. He could remember seeing one of the hotel employees and Charlie. What happened in between?

Did someone pull him out? He remembered being on the pier, soaking wet. Green eyes. He remembered beautiful green eyes and a great smile. And…Dean. Dean was the man’s name. He had made out with a hot stranger on the old pier. A hot, naked stranger. While he was completely shitfaced. Right. Of course.

That was insane. Gorgeous men didn’t swim around naked in the lagoon, rescuing drunks from drowning. His life didn’t work like that.

He sighed and got out of bed. He may be out of a job, but at least he knew a few people that could probably get him a new one. Anything to get out of Gabriel’s ridiculous TV show. And he would have to start calling soon, before Gabriel went around telling everyone that he wasn’t available.

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel had a piece of French toast hanging from his mouth as he poured over the map that Sam had marked up. ‘This is great! Okay, so you start setting up appointments,’ he said as he pointed at Samandriel. ‘Anna and Charlie can go get some establishing shots and…oh! Bird calls and nature sounds!’ He smiled up at the pair of redheads. ‘Really wanna sell the whole mysterious sea dragon in the tropical paradise angle.’

‘Sea dragon, huh?’ Sam asked as he set down a carafe of orange juice. He glanced at Charlie, who grinned widely and nodded. If she was relaxed about it, then maybe it was okay.

Gabriel smiled up at Sam. ‘Yeah! Long, scaly thing that’s been sighted around the island for the past few months.’

‘But it’s so fresh,’ Charlie said as she poured herself some orange juice. ‘We’ve got a couple tourists and fishermen as witnesses. Most of the episode is gonna be filler narration. Look at this pretty island. Here’s what we think the sea monster looks like. Ooh…’ She waved her hands around for emphasis and rolled her eyes.

Gabriel frowned at Charlie and slumped back in his seat. ‘She’s not a sea monster. She’s a sea _dragon_.’

‘Serpent. Sea _serpent_ ,’ Castiel said as he entered the room. ‘If I’m stuck here, then we’re calling it a serpent.  I would actually prefer “unclassified species,” but I believe that conversation went nowhere last time.’

Gabriel offered his bother an uncertain smile. ‘Are you…okay?’

Castiel sat down and ignored Gabriel. ‘When will I be scheduled to shoot the underwater scenes?’ he asked Samandriel.

‘Uh…’ Samandriel flipped through his planner. ‘Well, we have the boat for the whole time we’re here, so…whenever’s good for you.’

Castiel nodded as he poured himself a drink. ‘Tomorrow afternoon will work well.’

‘You sure you don’t wanna take a couple days to…relax?’ Gabriel asked. He shrank back at the glare Castiel threw him.

‘I want this to be over with. I want to go home. I want my old job back. I would rather be in that office, listening to recordings, than be here on some wild goose chase of yours,’ Castiel calmly replied.

Gabriel placed his hands in his lap and stared at them. He was trying to _help_ Castiel. He refused to believe that he screwed up his brother’s life. He just hoped his brother would eventually see it that way.

.-.-.-.-.

After breakfast, Castiel had made a beeline back to his room. He grabbed his wetsuit and a camera and quietly made his way back to the hotel lobby. He thought he was going to be able to sneak out, but as he got closer to the lobby he could hear voices. He hung back, just behind the corner and listened. He recognized his brother’s voice and the tone that went with it.

‘C’mon, Sammy,’ Gabriel said. ‘Personal tour of the island. You, me. Sandy beaches?’

Sam laughed. ‘I have _work_ to do!’

‘There’s no one else here! I’m sure they won’t miss you for an hour.’

‘Tell you what… Since you’re trying to avoid your brother, you can come with me to have dinner at a local restaurant.’

‘Deal!’

Castiel closed his eyes and turned the corner. ‘I’m taking this,’ he raised the camera, ‘and these,’ he raised his other arm where he had his wetsuit draped and shook the keys to the boat. ‘I’ll be back later. Don’t worry about me.’

Gabriel startled and stared at Castiel. ‘C-Cas…what about tomorrow?!’

Castiel paused at the door and glanced between Sam and Gabriel. ‘I’m used to reading upside down. I’ll borrow the boat again on Thursday.’

With that, Castiel left and hurried to the small boat. A quick glance told him that he was alone. He boarded the boat and set down the camera and his wetsuit. He cringed as he started up the boat, keeping a watchful eye on the path leading back to the hotel as he edged the boat away from the small dock. He sighed in relief when no one had come to investigate.

He pulled away and slowed as he drew up next to the older pier. He could still remember how the weathered wood felt under his hands…beneath his back… He shook his head hard, reminding himself that it was just a drunken fantasy. He really needed to stop drinking so much. He wasn’t in college anymore. No more going to class high or hung over. He was an adult. He had responsibilities. He needed his wits about him if he was going to survive this ordeal.

After an hour of circling the island, Castiel cut the boat’s engine and dropped the anchor. In the distance, he could make out a small fishing vessel. Quickly, he stripped down and pulled on his wet suit, a simple black with blue running down the sides and along the seams. He pulled up the zipper along his back and sighed happily.

It had been a while since he’d been in the ocean. He hadn’t realized just how much he had missed it. Even if Gabriel was right, and he did belong back in the water, he wouldn’t admit it to his older brother.

He grabbed the keys and turned to the door that led below. He inserted the key and turned it, frowning when it didn’t give the familiar click of unlocking. His stomach clenched, fearing that someone had stolen all of the scuba gear. He knew they should have brought it all inside the hotel. He opened the door, and the sight that greeted him was worse than anything he could have possibly imagined.

‘Hello, Castiel,’ Balthazar greeted with a warm smile. He held up a scuba tank. ‘Looking for this?’

Castiel slammed the door shut and stormed to the other side of the boat, which wasn’t very far, much to his disappointment. He tried to steady his breathing as he heard the door open and Balthazar step onto the deck. ‘Why are you here?’ he asked through clenched teeth.

Balthazar set the tank down and shrugged. ‘Well, I _am_ the cameraman. I’m here to do my job.’

‘You had to go out of your way to be here,’ Castiel pointed out. ‘You’ve been hiding below deck for well over an hour! What do you want?’

‘I guess…I kinda wanted to talk to you without you being able to run away.’ Balthazar let his eyes roam over Castiel’s back and settle on his ex’s rear. ‘You look good, Cas.’

Castiel spun around, seething. ‘I would appreciate it if you did not stare at me without my permission.’

‘I believe _you_ were staring at _me_ yesterday,’ Balthazar said.

‘And you called me _slut_ after you led me on!’ Castiel shouted. He brushed past Balthazar and stared at the small room below. Thanks to his and his brother’s inability to organize, it was a mess. He squeezed his hand around the keys, wanting to throw them in and force Balthazar to hunt for them. No. That would be immature. And he would be stuck with Balthazar even longer.

‘I just said you thought with your cock. But…you kinda are one,’ Balthazar replied. ‘Now don’t get me wrong. That can be hot. But…not when you’re pretending to be something you’re not.’

‘And what am I pretending to be?’ Castiel asked as he turned to face Balthazar. His good mood from earlier was quickly fading.

‘Innocent.’

Castiel’s eyes narrowed as he tilted his head in confusion. ‘Innocent? About what?’

‘About you and Crowley,’ Balthazar replied. ‘Look…I _know_ about you two.’

Castiel felt his face heat up. How could Balthazar know? How could _anyone_ know?

Balthazar shook his head at Castiel’s reaction. ‘Why keep lying about it?’ He turned away from Castiel and stared at the clouds that spotted the horizon. ‘Cas…’

Castiel threw the keys into the small room. ‘I never claimed to be innocent!’ he shouted. ‘So I’ve made mistakes! Plenty of them I’ve made with Crowley!’ He crossed his arms and looked away, his eyes resting on the fishing vessel. It wasn’t _that_ far away. He glanced over his shoulder at Balthazar, whose back was still facing him. ‘We never hurt anyone,’ he said quietly as he silently edged to the railing and placed a leg over it. He balanced and griped the railing tightly as he brought his other leg over, keeping an eye on Balthazar. It would take Balthazar a while to find the keys, and there was no way he’d attempt to swim after Castiel. When Balthazar began speaking, he didn’t listen as he lowered himself down to drop soundlessly into the water.

‘You hurt _me_ , Castiel,’ Balthazar said. ‘You made a…a sex tape with _Crowley_! Inias, I could probably understand, but _Crowley_?! Does his wife even know? How many other times, Castiel? How many other people? I…I know I shouldn’t, but…I still love you, Cas. And maybe…maybe we could fix it if you would just _come clean_!’

Balthazar turned around and stared at the empty spot where Castiel had been. ‘Cas? Castiel?’ Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement. Castiel was already a fair distance away, heading straight to a boat in the distance. ‘You didn’t hear a word I said…you coward,’ he mumbled.

He looked down the short flight of steps to the small room and grimaced. He promised himself that when he got back, the Novak brothers were going to be banned from stocking and organizing _anything_. He knew he should have straightened up while he was hiding. He wished he could hotwire a boat the same way he could pick a lock. He sighed and set himself to the task of finding the boat keys.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t speak French. If it’s wrong, blame Google Translate.

Dean swam in lazy circles beneath Benny’s boat, surfacing every thirty minutes or so for air. He had been scaring up a variety of fish for Benny, chasing them into the fishing nets. Benny had shown him pictures of the fish he wanted and the ones he didn’t. When he had started helping Benny out, Benny had asked what Dean wanted in return.

Dean skimmed along the bottom of the ocean floor, staring up at the underside of Benny’s boat. Benny had asked him again what he wanted in return for helping. He already had everything he needed. A cave with a pocket of air, food, company… But what did he _want_? Well, he wouldn’t mind having that human he had met earlier, but he didn’t think humans could give each other away.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small shadow moving towards Benny’s boat. He swam a little closer, not recognizing its shape as anything he knew. It took a moment for him to realize it was human. The movements were much more precise than the other humans he had observed swimming.

Dean quickly swam up to the other side of the boat and edged around it to get a closer look. As the human drew closer, it slowed and began shouting. He poked his head out of the water and breathed in sharply when he recognized the human.

‘Hello? Excuse me!’ Castiel shouted as he tread water. He offered a smile when someone looked over the railing. ‘Can I get a lift?’

The man disappeared without a word. A moment later, a rope ladder was thrown over the side. ‘Come on up, then.’

Castiel pulled himself up and climbed the ladder. He looked over his shoulder when he reached the top. It looked like Balthazar still hadn’t found the keys. ‘Thank you,’ he said as he climbed over the railing and onto the deck.

‘No problem, stranger. Name’s Benny.’ Benny offered his hand to Castiel.

‘Castiel. And again, thank you,’ Castiel said as he shook Benny’s hand.

‘Where ya’ headed?’ Benny asked as he pulled the ladder back up.

‘Anywhere but here,’ Castiel replied. He looked back at the small boat. ‘I’ve been stranded before, so…anywhere.’

‘Run outta gas?’ Benny asked as he followed Castiel’s gaze. ‘I can just loan you some.’

Castiel shook his head and pushed away from the railing. ‘No… It’s…it’s complicated. I uh…don’t deal well with conflict, and there is a lot of conflict looking for a set of keys on that boat.’

Benny laughed and shook his head. ‘All right, then. So, where are you staying?’

‘For now, Singer Hotel.’ Castiel looked down at his bare feet and sighed. ‘Somewhere else once I get back.’

‘Getting away from conflict?’

Castiel nodded. ‘Yesterday was not a good day for me, and this…this was the last straw.’

‘Well, I know where the hotel is, so I can drop you on their front porch. How’s that sound?’ Benny said as he headed to the helm.

‘Thank you, but you don’t…’ Castiel trailed off as he watched Benny. He looked around the boat, seeing all the fishing equipment. ‘Can I hire you?’

Benny stopped in his tracks and turned to face Castiel. ‘Hire me?’

‘I need a boat. A boat that’s not…that one,’ Castiel replied, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at the rental boat in the distance. ‘I can pay you.’

‘Why?’ Benny took a few steps back, leaning against the railing.

‘I’m…with a…a film crew,’ Castiel said with some difficulty. ‘And I’d rather do my share alone.’

A quiet tapping caught Benny’s attention, and he glanced down at the water. ‘I don’t know…’ He frowned at Dean’s smiling face. Dean was staring up at him, nodding and smiling like an idiot.

‘I wouldn’t pull you away from your schedule,’ Castiel said. ‘Just take me along when you go fishing. That’s all I’m asking. I’ll stay out of your way.’

Benny sighed as Dean’s voice drifted up, barely above a whisper.

‘Please! Say “yes”! Please?’

‘All right,’ Benny eventually said. ‘But I won’t wait around for you.’

‘I wouldn’t expect you to,’ Castiel said.

‘Right… Wait. Filming? You’re not with that show that’s lookin’ for the sea monster, are you?’

Castiel grimaced and looked away. ‘Yes…’

‘You know it doesn’t exist, right?’

Castiel didn’t answer right away. The photograph, the entire reason he had allowed himself to be wrangled into the trip, came to the forefront of his mind. ‘I’m here because of my brother,’ he said. ‘But, yes. I know there’s no…sea… _monster_. Unfortunately, my belief doesn’t make me exempt from being in charge of underwater shots.’

‘Well, I’m sure there’s money in stock footage,’ Benny said.

Castiel gave Benny a small smile. ‘There’s enough,’ he admitted. ‘Just don’t tell my brother that. I want him swimming in the guilt of getting me fired.’

‘Doesn’t sound like a very good brother,’ Benny said as he turned back to the helm.

‘He means well… At least, I think he does.’

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel watched as Castiel packed. ‘It’s not that bad,’ he said, wincing as Castiel slammed a dresser drawer shut.

‘Yes, it is! I feel like I’m constantly being watched and judged and…and… I’m just cornered! I need time to be alone and not be…here,’ Castiel replied. He shrugged as he turned around. ‘You were right. I need time to relax. I need a break.’

‘Is it Balthazar?’ Gabriel quietly asked. ‘I can…make arrangements.’

Castiel shook his head with a sigh. ‘No. It’s me. It’s always…me. Apparently, he found out about…’ He trailed off, laughing miserably. ‘It was so _long_ ago! I’m a different person now! I don’t _do_ things like that anymore, but I guess once a…a _slut_ always a slut.’

Gabriel shifted uncomfortably. ‘Yeah… Um… So uh…where are you gonna stay?’ he asked, eager to change the subject. He wasn’t sure what made him more uncomfortable: talk of his brother cheating, or the fact that Castiel didn’t feel any guilt.

‘Oh, Crowley found me a room at the Four Seasons. He wants me to throw myself a… _proper_ pity party. He went over the top with it, so I think he wants me to end up owing him,’ Castiel said. He made his way to the open window and reached out onto the flowerbox that hung beneath. He scratched between Muffin’s ears, earning a loud purr.

‘What are you gonna…owe him?’

‘Apparently, he has me staying in one of the bungalows. Probably… I told him about your show. And…he didn’t say anything, but… I think he’s going to have me appear in a documentary after this thing’s aired,’ Castiel said. ‘He’s under the impression that I’ll be more marketable.’

‘See? Good things are already coming out of this,’ Gabriel said, smiling.

Castiel gave his brother a doubtful look. ‘You’ve never been in a documentary with Crowley. He is an absolute terror. He made three people quit when we were filming in the Caribbean. The cinematographer had to see a therapist after,’ he explained. ‘Just ask Balthazar. He worked on editing after we got back.’

‘Oh…yeah… _That_ time in the Caribbean…’

‘Figured sending the editing job to him would help serve as an apology, but… I guess not. He finished the job, took his check, and…left.’ Castiel sighed as he stared out the window. ‘Nothing I do is ever good enough.’

‘Er…a uh…editing position doesn’t make up for uh…’ Gabriel coughed and looked away.

‘Yeah, I get that,’ Castiel said bitterly. ‘It doesn’t matter anymore. I’ll stay out of everyone’s way. Just… Let me borrow the camera, and I’ll drop off the footage as I get it.’

Gabriel nodded wordlessly. He knew his brother could be a little off, but this was beyond what he was used to. ‘Just…don’t feel like you have to avoid everyone. I _will_ need you in front of the camera eventually.’

‘Yeah… I know. Look, shouldn’t you be getting ready for your date?’

.-.-.-.-.

That evening, Gabriel stared at Sam from across the table. They sat in a dimly lit corner of a small, local bar. The walls were littered with stuffed fish of every variety. Behind the bar, hung a large sword fish that Gabriel’s eyes kept drifting to. Normally, he didn’t go to the small, hole-in-wall bars and restaurants. That was more of his brother’s speed—whatever was closest to his current location. If he had to choose between a dive bar or an Applebee’s, he’d go with the Applebee’s.

‘You okay?’ Sam asked as Gabriel’s attention was pulled away by the sound of the front door opening.

‘Yeah…I’m good. Just…keeping an eye out,’ he replied.

‘For…what?’

‘Uh…last time I was in a dive bar, it got a little…stabby,’ he explained.

‘Dive bar?’ Sam asked.

‘Er…local bar?’ Gabriel looked back at Sam and forced a smile. ‘It’s not an insult. It’s just…what they’re called? Cas goes to ‘em all the time. He didn’t even bat an eye when the guy came at him with a knife!’

‘What?! Is he okay?’ Sam blinked as he remembered who ‘Cas’ was. ‘Never mind. I mean…’

Gabriel laughed and took a sip of his drink. He set the glass back on the thick, wooden table and shook his head. ‘Well, he sent the other guy to the hospital. Not as heroic as it sounds,’ he said. ‘He kicked the guy in the knee and dislocated his kneecap.’

Sam stared at Gabriel, torn between horror and amusement. ‘So that happens…often?’

Gabriel shook his head. ‘Cas says he’s only been in a bar fight about two times, but that’s _in_ a fight. He didn’t say how many he’s _seen_. I uh…still don’t wanna take my chances. One time was enough.’

‘Oh…I didn’t know. We can leave if you want,’ Sam offered. ‘It wouldn’t be any trouble.’

‘What? No! I mean, thanks, but… I’m good,’ Gabriel replied, quickly shaking his head. ‘I’m sure these nice people don’t run around, trying to stab each other.’

‘Well, I’ve never seen anyone try to _stab_ another person, but I have seen one fist fight,’ Sam said, rubbing the back of his neck. ‘One guy might’ve owed the other money or someone slept with someone’s wife or…both? It was close to when I first got here, and I hadn’t picked up on the language just yet.’

Gabriel leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. He grinned up at Sam. ‘French or Tahitian?’

‘Both, actually. I pick up on languages pretty easily,’ Sam proudly replied. ‘Kinda runs in the family.’

‘I took French in high school,’ Gabriel said, leaning a little closer. ‘Didn’t stick too well. Just a couple phrases. I know how to ask where to find a bathroom and a train. And, of course, the most useful phrase of them all.’

‘And what would that be?’

‘Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?’ Gabriel propped his cheek in his hand as he stared, grinning, at Sam.

Sam stared back at Gabriel as his mind switched tracks. ‘Uh… N'est-ce pas un peu tôt pour ça?’

Gabriel opened his mouth then shut it. He tried again, but still came up empty for a reply. He leaned back, squinting slightly at Sam. He couldn’t decide whether he was being teased or hit on, and he couldn’t bring himself to really care.

‘Vous allez bien?’ Sam asked, feeling concern over Gabriel growing confusion. ‘Gabriel?’

‘I have no idea what you’re saying, but, by all means, keep going,’ Gabriel finally said. He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head as he stared at Sam with wide eyes. ‘Because that is hot.’

‘Oh… Oh! Sorry!’ Sam apologized. He laughed nervously and shrugged. ‘I just sorta…switch to whatever’s being spoken,’ he explained.

‘I quote a song, and you turn French? Cool.’

‘Song?’ Sam repeated helplessly.

‘ _Lady Marmalade_. 70s. Disco. Great decade, even greater genre,’ Gabriel replied.

Sam thinned his lips and wracked his brain. He had thought he had managed to keep up with pop culture well enough, but maybe he should have brushed up on the past as well. The only thing he came up with was the phrase ‘death to disco,’ but from Gabriel’s declaration, he didn’t think that would go over too well. ‘I…don’t think I’ve ever heard any disco,’ he eventually said, hoping it was a safe reply.

‘What? Really?! KC and the Sunshine Band? Everyone’s heard at least _one_ song by them!’ Gabriel’s face screwed up in confusion as Sam shrugged. ‘Huh. We’ll have to fix that.’

‘Well, sharing your favorite music would be a better next step compared to sharing your bed,’ Sam said with a warm smile.

Gabriel stared at Sam as he remembered how they had gotten on this line of thought. ‘You sure about that? As of two hours ago, I have that room all to myself. No prying eyes… No interruptions… Just you and me getting to know each other better.’

‘It is an enticing offer,’ Sam admitted.

‘Then let me repeat myself. Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?’

‘Peut-être demain soir,’ Sam replied with a sly smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As requested, translations:
> 
> Voulez-vous [...]?: Would you sleep with me tonight?  
> N'est-ce [...]?: Isn't it a bit early for that?  
> Vous allez bies?: Are you okay?  
> Peut-être [...]: Maybe tomorrow night.


	10. Chapter 10

Benny rolled his eyes as another sighed drifted up from where Dean lay, sprawled out with his tail trailing in the water. It was too early in morning to be dealing with a love sick mermaid. He made his way to Dean and tugged the portable TV from the mermaid’s hands. ‘All right,’ he said as he sat down, ‘What’s wrong?’

Dean stared at his hands for a minute before looking up at Benny. ‘He didn’t show up last night,’ he said. ‘He said he would and he…never showed up.’

Benny pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew exactly who Dean was talking about. All yesterday, after he had dropped Castiel off, Dean had gone on and on about the marine biologist. He had already had his ear talked off by Castiel just prior—the poor guy had a lot on his mind, and Benny had been willing to just let him talk. Unfortunately, Dean then needed to know everything that Castiel had said.

‘Look, he probably forgot,’ Benny said with a sigh. He was trying to be patient with Dean. He really was, but Dean’s persistence on certain matters could get annoying. ‘Getting fired is…stressful for humans, and exes…even more so.’

Dean rolled onto his back and stared at a cloud passing overhead. ‘So…you think I still have a chance?’

‘You want some advice?’ Benny asked, and Dean nodded. ‘Drop it.’

Dean turned his gaze to Benny, giving him a half-hearted glare. ‘I don’t want to. He’s…gorgeous, and that voice is amazing, and… I like him,’ he said, finishing with a small shrug.

‘Dean…not everyone is trustworthy,’ Benny said. ‘Do you have any idea how easy it woulda been for me to let Desmond kill you? Hell, you’re probably worth more alive! Do you _want_ to end up being dissected or as someone’s _pet_?! You could be the next major attraction at Sea World. How’s that sound?’

Dean sat up and crossed his arms. He tried to control his fins. Benny wasn’t challenging him. He was just looking out for him. ‘I don’t think he’d do that,’ he said quietly.

‘You don’t know that,’ Benny pointed out. ‘You don’t know _him_.’

Dean’s fins flared out as he had an idea. ‘I’ll get to know him.’

‘What? How are you gonna manage that without him finding out about…you?’ Benny asked, gesturing to Dean’s tail. ‘You can’t date someone from under a dock.’

‘You asked me before what I wanted for helping,’ Dean said as he turned to face Benny with a happy grin. ‘I want clothes.’

‘Clothes… Dean, you don’t…’

‘I’ll dry out,’ he said, flicking his tail. ‘I’ll date him like a human!’

Benny stared at Dean. His eyes traveled over Dean’s body and down the long tail. ‘What?’

‘I’ll lose the tail,’ Dean said. ‘I’ll have legs like a human. So…I want clothes. Clothes that are good for attracting a mate.’

Benny pulled his hat off and scratched his head. ‘Okay,’ he said reluctantly. ‘I’ll bring you some clothes tomorrow. I guess you’ll be needin’ a place to stay?’

‘Only if my brother says I can’t stay with him.’

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel stood in front of a small waterfall. In front of him was the rest of the small film crew, sans Castiel. Whereas he was wearing jeans and a dark, button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, everyone else wore shorts and t-shirts. On Balthazar’s shoulder rested a large camera. He sighed to himself as he adjusted the focus and watched Gabriel check his reflection in a handheld mirror. To his right stood Charlie, holding up a boom mic. Samandriel and Anna were kneeling near Balthazar’s other side; Anna was propping up a white piece of board and yawning while Samandriel reviewed his journal, a clapper resting against his ankle.

Gabriel bared his teeth and stuck out his tongue before deeming himself acceptable. ‘Okay, I think I’m ready.’

‘Been rolling for the past two minutes,’ Balthazar said.

‘If there’s a gag reel, that’s going on it,’ Anna added.

‘You’re just jealous,’ Gabriel said smugly.

‘The only thing I’m jealous of is your paycheck,’ Anna replied, earning grunts of agreement from the other three.

‘Obviously, you’re on the wrong side of the camera!’

‘I’m good with this side,’ Balthazar replied. ‘If _I_ do something stupid, there won’t be any publicity about it.’

‘It was _one_ time!’ Gabriel groaned.

‘No…you’ve only been _caught_ one time,’ Samandriel said with a big grin.

‘Shut up, _Alfie_.’

‘All of you shut up,’ Anna said. ‘I wanna get this done sometime today.’

Gabriel tossed the mirror to the ground and took a few deep breaths. He held the last one before exhaling slowly. He smirked at the camera gestured to the area around him. ‘Next week, on _Mysterious Mysteries_ , we head to the magical isle of Bora Bora! What secrets are hidden beneath the lush forest and pristine waters? Tune in and find out!’

He gave a wink as he raised his hand then snapped his fingers. After a moment’s pause, he shifted his weight.

‘Wait, do another one,’ Charlie said, pressing her hand against her headphones. ‘I keep picking up a loud bird… Just do it a couple times, and I’ll fix it in post.’

Gabriel sighed and nodded. ‘Isn’t that why you always have me wait before talking? So you can just…pluck it out?’

Charlie stared at him. ‘Yes. That’s exactly how it works. I don’t have to adjust any levels or anything. Your mic just picks up you. No way it picks up clothes moving or annoying birds going “ka-kaw”. Do _you_ wanna do this?’

Gabriel waved his hands in front of himself. ‘No, I’m good. I’ll do it again.’ He never wanted to see any editing program of any sort ever again.

Samandriel held up the clapper in front of the camera. ‘Teaser take two.’

After four more takes, one where a gust of wind blew Gabriel’s hair into his face, Charlie deemed them ready to move on to the next scene.

‘Bora Bora… Tropical paradise. Tourist destination. _Exotic love affairs_!’ Gabriel waggled his brows suggestively. ‘What other wonders does this magical land hold? Could it possibly be the new home for a… _sea dragon_?’

‘Cut!’ Samandriel shouted.

Gabriel threw his arms up. ‘Now what?!’

‘You said “dragon.” We’re calling it “serpent,” remember?’ Samandriel said, shaking his journal at Gabriel.

‘But that doesn’t sound as cool,’ Gabriel whined.

‘We wanna be consistent,’ Samandriel replied. ‘Besides, aren’t you trying to suck up to Castiel?’

Gabriel grimaced and nodded.

‘Still rolling,’ Balthazar said.

Samandriel raised the clapper. ‘Opening take two…’

Gabriel shook his arms out before facing the camera again. ‘Right… Okay… Bora Bora…’

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel waited for Crowley to answer the phone. The bungalow he was in was a lot nicer than he was expecting. He needed to get ahold of Crowley and find out exactly what was going to be expected of him in return as soon as possible.

‘Hello, Castiel,’ a woman’s voice answered. ‘Do you like the room?’

‘Jody…hello. Um, yes. It’s…very nice,’ Castiel replied. ‘I’m trying to reach Crowley.’

‘Hm… He’s a little tied up,’ Jody said. Movement and the sound of bedsprings could be heard over the phone. ‘Has my Roddy been a good boy? Has he earned a phone call?’

Castiel sighed and stared at the ceiling. ‘I can call back later,’ he offered.

‘We were just finishing up,’ Jody said over the sounds of rustling fabric and clasps.

‘Castiel. So nice to hear from you,’ Crowley said, his accented voice not quite clear. ‘Darling, did you forget something? Mmm, thank you. Now, Castiel. To what do I owe the pleasure?’

‘The uh…room’s too nice,’ Castiel replied, getting straight to the point.

‘There’s no such thing.’

‘What do you want? What am I going to owe you?’ Castiel asked as he paced the bungalow. He stopped as he exited onto the terrace and looked out at the darkening sky. He had to admit, the view was amazing.

‘Like I said before,’ Crowley replied, ‘you’re going to be getting quite popular soon enough. I want that popularity tied to my next project.’

‘And that’s all?’ Castiel said, letting the suspicion seep through his voice. ‘Forgive me if I don’t believe you.’

‘Look, I got an amazing deal on the room. It’s off season, so it’s no problem. Don’t think about it too hard.’

‘Uh-huh… Who did you blackmail?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Crowley replied.

Castiel could just imagine the smirk and sidelong glance that went with the tone. ‘Fine. At least Muffin likes it,’ he said as he watched the cat pace the edge of the plunge pool nearby.

‘Yes. The cat,’ Crowley said distastefully. ‘No, you do not love that cat! That demon scratched—hey!’

‘Cassie, tell Muffin I love him, and I’ll see him soon!’ Jody said cheerfully.

‘See him… W-what?’

‘Yes, wonderful. You ruined the surprise,’ Crowley said, his voice becoming louder as he regained control of the phone.

‘You’re coming here? You’re staying… _here_? With me? Why?!’

‘Well…Jody does have some paid vacation saved up,’ Crowley said. In the background, Jody let out a joyful cheer. ‘We _were_ going to go skiing, but…you just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Off season Bora Bora. Decent weather. Cheaper.’

‘Wetter,’ Castiel said. ‘You can’t… I’m in this mess because of you!’

‘I didn’t get you fired.’

‘No, but…’ Castiel sighed and dropped the phone to his side. How could he phrase ‘you made my ex break up with me’ without sounding like a petulant teenager? He raised the phone back to his ear. ‘Just…don’t talk to the film crew. Okay? If they ask questions about us, don’t answer.’

‘Why would I _ever_ tell anyone about _anything_ we ever did? I stand to lose just as much as you do,’ Crowley said angrily.

There was a loud, ratcheting click over the phone. ‘Crowley?’

‘I’m sorry, Cassie, but Roddy’s under arrest,’ Jody replied. ‘Again.’

‘Gonna make me _confess_?’ said Crowley’s partially muffled voice.

Castiel groaned in frustration. ‘Can you at least tell me when you’ll be here?’

‘I think we were looking at about a week or so? I have a few loose ends to tie up, and Rod’s got a lecture at the college in a few days,’ Jody replied. ‘Oh, and Cas?’

‘Yes?’

‘I know you don’t wanna hear this, but I’m glad you’re out of there.’

Castiel sighed as the line went dead. Everyone seemed to be happy for him. He wished he could feel the same way. Even if working under Naomi had been an absolute nightmare, at least he felt like he was useful. Even Inias had sounded jealous over Castiel’s situation.

He reentered the bungalow, Muffin right on his heels. As he got ready for bed, he wondered if he would dream about ‘Dean’ again. For a drunken hallucination, Castiel certainly was hung up on him. He decided to enjoy his privacy while it lasted.


	11. Chapter 11

Dean pulled himself onto the deck of Benny’s boat. He was so excited that he had hardly slept the night before. ‘Did you bring them?’ he asked as he curled his tail around himself. His stomach was full of butterflies as the tip of his tail left the water.

Benny cut the engine and turned to Dean. ‘Yeah, they’re right over there,’ he said, pointing to a duffel bag stuffed with clothing. He hoped that Dean would end up being a similar size. He had picked up a few outfits from a store, careful to avoid anything tourist-oriented. ‘Brought you a few choices.’

Dean scooted over to the bag and peeked inside. He smiled widely as he pulled out several shirts, shorts, and pants. He looked at each item in awe. He marveled at how humans could create something so intricately woven. After several minutes, he looked up at Benny. ‘So…how do I wear them?’

Benny crouched next to Dean and pulled a shirt from his unresisting hands. ‘Tags go in the back. Rough seams go on the inside. These,’ he said as he lifted up a pair of boxers, ‘go under pants and shorts. If you’re wearin’ socks,’ he lifted up a pair of socks and turned them over in his hands, ‘this is where your heel should be.’

‘And shoes?’ Dean asked as he scratched at his hip where skin turned to scale.

Benny handed over a pair of plain, black canvas shoes. ‘Suppose I’ll have to teach you to tie your shoes…’

Dean nodded as he turned the shoes over in his hands. ‘And these all look good?’ he asked distractedly. His whole tail itched, and he could swear that his scales where shrinking and burning.

‘With how much I paid, they’d better look good,’ Benny muttered.

Dean suddenly uncurled his tail and stretched out his fins. He made a distressed whine, followed by a series of low clicks as he hugged his tail to himself.

‘Dean?!’

‘This is more than itching!’ he groaned. He soon found that a little of the odd pain faded when he pressed his fins flat against his tail. He breathed out slowly as he looked at his tail. He could feel his bones fusing together and tail growing shorter, and his scales _were_ shrinking in size, leaving spots of human skin showing through. He fell onto his side and writhed as his fins seemed to melt away. He clenched his eyes shut and groaned when he felt the tip of his tail begin to split.

Benny tried to look away, but couldn’t. As Dean’s tail shrank, it began to resemble human legs. Soon, every last scale had faded, and Dean was left panting, hugging his new legs as tightly as possible. Carefully, Benny touched Dean’s shoulder, causing him to jump. ‘Hey… It’s okay… Just me.’

Dean nodded jerkily and pushed himself upright. He flinched as Benny grabbed his arm and helped him. ‘I’m fine… I’m…’ He trailed off as he looked down to examine his new legs. He groaned and sagged forward as his eyes landed on the large scar on his left thigh. ‘I won’t be good enough,’ he whispered.

Benny followed Dean’s gaze and gave his shoulder an encouraging squeeze. ‘It’s just a scar. Pretty good lookin’ one, too.’

Dean traced the small slashes left by teeth. The skin was slightly raised and white. ‘You sure?’ he asked quietly. He stretched his legs out and ran his hands over his thighs. Everything felt different. Whereas he would normally feel slight pressure and temperature changes on his tail, his legs were highly sensitive. And they tingled and itch. He ran his nails over the fresh skin. ‘They’re like…arms. In the wrong place,’ he said to himself.

‘Think you can manage dressing on your own?’ Benny asked.

Dean nodded, still feeling his legs and flexing his toes. He followed the path of his hand up his thigh to his hip and stopped. ‘Uh… What’s…wait. This is…’ He took his penis in his hand and giggled. ‘You keep it on the outside?! _Why?!_ You could hurt yourself!’

Benny rolled his eyes. ‘Just be careful climbing over fences,’ he said. ‘Okay…you can stop touching yourself any time now. You can play with yourself later. When I’m not around.’

 Dean reluctantly let go. ‘But it feels good. A lot better than normal me. And it looks weird. Do they all look like this?’ he asked in a worried tone.

‘Yes. You look normal,’ Benny replied.

‘Do you think he’ll like me?’

‘I don’t know!’ Benny shouted. He took a deep breath and gave Dean an apologetic look. ‘I don’t know. You look fine. You look…normal.’

Dean stared at his knees. It was strange not having any markings. He took one of the shirts that Benny had given him and examined it. It was a plain, black t-shirt. He held it out and could see where his head and arms were supposed to go. ‘Right… Tag in the back,’ he muttered. He figured he would worry about putting his head though the top hole, then figure his arms out after. He scrunched up the fabric, careful to keep the tag on the right side. He put the shirt over his head then pushed one arm through an armhole, then the other. He pulled the bottom down, covering his stomach and frowned.

‘Something wrong?’ Benny asked.

‘This feels weird,’ Dean replied, constantly shifting and tugging at the loose fabric.

‘Wait ‘til you try some pants,’ Benny said with a laugh.

Dean frowned as he looked at a pair of jeans and a pair of shorts. ‘So…scars are…okay?’ he asked uncertainly. At Benny’s nod, he tossed the jeans aside. He would get used to the sensation of shorts first.

‘Boxers first,’ Benny reminded. ‘Unless you’re goin’ commando.’

‘Right. Uh…’

‘These ones,’ Benny said, handing Dean a pair of dark green boxers. They were similar in color to the darker stripes of Dean’s tail.

‘Got it. Um…what’s this hole for?’ Dean asked, poking his fingers through the part in the front. ‘Wait. Is it for fucking around?’

Benny coughed and covered his face. ‘No. It’s for when you gotta take a piss,’ he explained.

Dean frowned in disappointment. He brought his legs to his chest and stared at his ankles. He knew he would have to spread his legs apart at some point. He tried wiggling the toes on just one foot, but it wasn’t working. He sighed in irritation as he grabbed one of his legs, placing a hand between his knees, then tried to straighten the other.

As Dean worked on figuring out how his new legs worked, Benny worked around him. Every once in a while, Dean would look up and watch how his human friend moved. For such short, inflexible appendages, legs seemed to provide quite a bit of maneuverability.

By the time Benny had caught a decent amount to call it a day, Dean had finished dressing. He was impressed that the mermaid had figured out how to tie his shoes on his own.

Dean smiled proudly from where he sat on the deck. ‘How do I look?’ he asked.

‘Like a human,’ Benny replied, earning the brightest smile he had seen since Dean had first been given the small television.

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel huffed as he switched the bag of scuba gear to his other shoulder. Just behind him was Balthazar, easily keeping pace. ‘You really don’t have to help,’ he said. ‘I certainly don’t expect it.’

‘Yeah, running off didn’t win you any points,’ Balthazar replied. He carried a small load of underwater camera equipment as he followed Castiel to where the Four Seasons had a ferry. ‘And this is… Cas, this is ridiculous! You don’t need to stay somewhere else.’

‘Yes, I do! I don’t want to be here. I don’t want be around…around _anyone_ right now!’ Castiel shouted. He set down his gear at the edge of the pier and looked around in desperation. ‘Where is it?’ he mumbled.

‘Good. Maybe we can actually _talk_ , now!’

Castiel turned to Balthazar and gave him a weary stare. ‘I just want to be left alone. Can you _please_ do that? I’m obviously not welcome, so I’m doing my best to rectify the situation.’

‘By wasting money on a four star resort?’ Balthazar asked as he crossed his arms.

‘I’m not wasting money,’ Castiel retorted. ‘Crowley—’

‘ _Crowley?!_ You’re still… Oh, my God! What is _wrong_ with you?!’

‘Everything, apparently!’ Castiel turned and almost started walking onto the pier, but stopped himself as he realized he would be trapped. He needed to get away. He needed to hide. In the distance he could hear his name being shouted. He turned around to shout back at Balthazar. ‘Just fuck…’ He quickly trailed off when he noticed that Balthazar wasn’t even looking at him, and his name was still being shouted. He looked to where Balthazar was staring and froze.

‘D-Dean?! What… Oh, God.’ Castiel covered his mouth with his hand as he hugged himself. His heart beat faster and faster as the small fishing vessel drew closer.

Balthazar looked from the boat to Castiel and back. He had never seen Castiel blush so brightly for any reason. He narrowed his eyes at the boat. Now that he thought about it, it did look a little familiar. ‘Castiel, what did you do after you ditched me?’ he quietly asked.

Castiel glanced at Balthazar in confusion. ‘After I…what? Oh… Oh! No! I didn’t _do_ anything! I met him before that! And he wasn’t on that boat when _I_ got on!’ he said defensively. He bit at his lip as his eyes darted between Dean and Balthazar. He made up his mind and headed onto the pier. ‘Hello, Dean,’ he greeted when he reached the end of the pier. ‘It _is_ “Dean,” isn’t it?’

Dean’s smile widened as he stared at Castiel. ‘For a moment, I thought you’d completely forgotten about me!’

Castiel slowly shook his head, aware of Balthazar coming up to stand just behind him. ‘I uh…wasn’t sure that you were…real,’ he said with some difficulty.

‘Why would you think that?’ Dean asked. He eyed the wooden pier from his position on the boat. He was leaning against the side, still not quite trusting himself to stand on his own.

‘Well, I was pretty drunk at the time,’ Castiel replied, ducking his head at Balthazar’s annoyed grunt. ‘I either forget things or make them up. Or uh… Look, I am so, _so_ sorry about what happened!’

 Dean’s brows furrowed in confusion. ‘Sorry? For what?’

‘The way I behaved? I don’t normally do that!’

‘He doesn’t,’ Balthazar agreed. ‘It’s only when he’s drunk off his ass that he throws himself at anything with two legs.’

Castiel shot Balthazar a dirty look before looking back at Dean. ‘As I said, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.’

Dean laughed and took a step to the side. His ankle gave out, and he went down, fast.

‘Dean?!’ Castiel strode forward and saw Benny do the same. He watched as Benny helped Dean to stand and frowned as the two had a short, hushed conversation.

‘I’m okay,’ Dean said after he shoved Benny off. ‘Just…uh… Weak ankles. Or something.’

Castiel’s eyes followed Benny, not missing the irritated look Benny gave Dean. ‘So…Benny is your brother?’ he asked.

Dean snorted as he shook his head. ‘Nah, Benny’s a lot cooler than _my_ brother,’ he replied. ‘Hey, I’m on my way to see him. You wanna come with?’

Castiel blinked at the invitation. ‘Um…’

‘He can’t,’ Balthazar replied. ‘His boat’s here.’

Castiel’s eyes focused on the ferry that was slowly approaching. It was true that he needed to get back to the hotel, but the ferry ran fairly often. He could always catch a later one. ‘Actually,’ he said softly, ‘I would love to meet your brother.’

‘Cas,’ Balthazar hissed as he gently took Castiel by the arm and led him a few feet away. ‘You don’t know anything about this guy!’

‘I know Benny,’ Castiel replied, looking over his shoulder at Dean.

‘Barely! And even _that_ was a stupid stunt you pulled!’

Castiel looked back at Balthazar, searching his eyes for an answer. ‘Why does it matter to you?’

Balthazar let go of Castiel and sighed. ‘Because, against my better judgment, I…I still care.’

Castiel narrowed his eyes at Balthazar. ‘Then why are you so hostile toward me?’

Balthazar shook his head sadly. ‘It’s hard being around you. Looking at you, being around you…I know why fell for you. But then you go and say or do something stupid, and I remember why I left.’

With a shaky breath, Castiel looked away.

‘Right. Go. Go play with your new boytoy,’ Balthazar said as he handed the camera equipment to Castiel. ‘Hope you’re happy in your little fantasy world. Just don’t get yourself killed.’

Castiel didn’t know how he should feel as he watched Balthazar walk away. The sound of someone landing on the pier drew his attention, and he looked back toward the boat. He tilted his head as he watched Dean stretch his arms out for balance.

Dean tried to steady himself. He probably should have practiced a little more before getting off the boat. Especially since he was aiming to impress Castiel. He took a careful step forward and lost his balance. ‘Dammit!’

‘Dean!’ Castiel rushed to Dean’s side. He carefully set the camera equipment down and placed his hand on Dean’s shoulder. ‘Are you okay?’

Dean nodded as he got his feet back under him. ‘Yeah… Swimmin’s easier,’ he said as he stood up.

‘I understand,’ Castiel said emphatically. ‘I prefer to be in the water myself.’

Dean smiled, and Castiel blushed lightly, causing Dean’s smile to grow. ‘We’ll have to go swimming together sometime.’

‘I…would like that,’ Castiel said. He stooped down to retrieve the camera equipment. ‘Um… If it’s not too much trouble…can you help me carry that other bag?’ he asked, pointing to the bag at the edge of the pier.

Dean looked to where Castiel was pointing and nodded. ‘Sure. If you don’t mind it getting’ dropped.’

‘That’s why _I’m_ carrying this one,’ Castiel said, readjusting his hold on the bag he carried.


	12. Chapter 12

Castiel walked beside Dean as they headed along the pathway. Dean would stumble once in a while, but quickly regained his footing. Not once did Dean drop the scuba gear, for which Castiel was grateful. They slowed down again as Dean looked out towards the lagoon and along the coastline. When his eyes landed on a large palm tree, he picked up the pace again.

‘I don’t want to come off as offensive, but…do you know where you’re going?’ Castiel asked.

‘Sorta,’ Dean admitted, giving Castiel a small grin. ‘Not used to getting there from this way.’

‘You’d rather swim there,’ Castiel said. ‘Naked. I distinctly remember you saying you were skinny dipping.’

‘Hey. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it,’ Dean said defensively.

‘I have,’ Castiel replied with a soft smile. When Dean didn’t react, he pressed further. ‘On multiple occasions. With multiple people. I’ve been streaking.’

Dean smiled at Castiel, the term completely lost on him. ‘That sounds fun. How did it go?’ he asked, trying to get more information without actually having to ask.

Castiel blinked. He wasn’t expecting Dean’s reaction. Shock, yes. Disgust, maybe. But this? ‘Um… It was amusing…until I was arrested,’ he replied. His mouth snapped shut at the confession. ‘Please don’t tell anyone!’

‘Don’t worry,’ Dean said. ‘I’ve got a few secrets of my own.’

‘Maybe…we could trade a few over a drink sometime,’ Castiel suggested, his smile returning.

Dean nodded as he examined his surroundings. ‘I’d like that,’ he said distractedly. ‘Um… I think…it’s around here somewhere.’

‘The hotel I was staying at is just ahead,’ Castiel said, pointing. ‘They might know.’

‘Hotel… He said “house.” Is there a house around here?’

‘Um… Singer…Hotel? It was converted from a large house.’

Dean wracked his mind to remember everything Sam had told him. ‘Is Sam Winchester staying there?’

Castiel stared at Dean in shocked silence.

‘Cas?’

Castiel nodded. ‘Y-yes. He uh…works there, actually,’ he eventually replied.

Dean smiled widely. ‘Great! You know where it is, so you can lead the way.’

.-.-.-.-.

Karen looked up from her magazine as the bell on the lobby door chimed. She smiled as Castiel and a young man she didn’t recognize entered. ‘Change your mind?’ she asked.

‘Not exactly,’Castiel replied. ‘Dean is here to see his brother.’ He looked at Dean to find him staring around the lobby in unmasked awe and curiosity. ‘Dean?’

‘Yeah…Sam,’ Dean mumbled as his eyes traced over every inch of the interior. Human dwellings were so new to him. He had seen plenty on TV, but to actually be _in_ one, was a whole other story.

‘Sam’s…brother. Brother? You’re Sam’s _brother_?’ Karen asked, staring at Dean.

Dean turned to face Karen. ‘Oh! Yeah, uh, hi! What’s that?’ he asked, pointing to the large tiki head that loomed behind Karen.

Karen blinked and looked over her shoulder. ‘It’s just a…decoration. I like tiki bars,’ she explained and looked back at Dean. With all the mermaids in the current vicinity, she wondered if she should change the name of the hotel.

The door to the dining room opened, and Sam came in, carrying a tool box. ‘Sink’s fixed,’ he declared. ‘Just…be careful with what you… What the fuck are you doing here?!’

‘I have the same reaction with _my_ brother,’ Castiel said as he carefully set his camera equipment down and took the scuba gear from Dean.

Dean grinned at Sam and spread his arms, showing off his new look. ‘Well? Whaddya think?’

‘I think we need to talk,’ Sam replied in a monotone. He set the toolbox on the front desk and grabbed his brother by the collar. He led Dean down the open hallway and into one of the rooms, shutting the door behind them.

Castiel and Karen stared at each other, and Castiel shrugged. ‘As I said: I have the same reaction.’

.-.-.-.-.

‘Why are you here?’ Sam hissed the moment the door closed.

‘Hey, _you_ offered!’ Dean retorted, crossing his arms.

‘Offered? Offered _what_?! Dean, you are playing with fire here!’ Sam quickly strode to his window and shut it then drew the curtains before facing Dean.

‘For me to stay with you,’ Dean said uncertainly. ‘Is that…still okay?’

Sam leaned against the wall as he stared at Dean. ‘Well…yeah. I guess, but…’

‘Then it’s settled!’

‘No, it’s not…settled. Dean…’

‘Sam. I know what I’m doing,’ Dean said calmly. ‘I’m chasing a mate, and I’m tryin’ to do it as human as I can. I can use any help you’re willin’ to give.’

Sam sighed and nodded. ‘I still think this is a bad idea.’ He shook his head with a sigh and looked around his room. ‘I guess I can find a mattress or a cot or something for you… Uh… How much did Benny explain to you about…well, everything?’ he asked. If his brother was intent on ‘chasing a mate,’ then Sam needed to make sure that Dean wouldn’t end up blowing his cover. And certainly not around the marine biologist.

‘Clothes, bathrooms, money… Basic stuff, I guess,’ Dean replied. ‘A lot of it I already knew from TV.’

‘I can only imagine what you learned from _TV_ ,’ Sam muttered under his breath. ‘Okay, so you obviously get clothes… Have you been _in_ a bathroom yet?’

Dean shook his head. ‘I know that I’m s’posed to go in the one with the little man on the door. Not the skirt.’

Dean had no idea how lucky he was. He could speak a human language right out of the water. He already knew a little about human customs and societal standards. For a moment, Sam was jealous that _he_ hadn’t been caught in some fisherman’s net. He reminded himself that Dean had been extremely lucky with Benny. How many other humans would have reacted the same way?

Sam waved Dean over as he headed to the partially opened door next to his closet. ‘C’mon. I’ll explain toilets and save you some of the embarrassment of figuring it out on your own.’

‘The handle’s for flushing,’ Dean said, proud that he knew something of how they worked.

Sam raised his eyes to the ceiling as he flicked on the light in the bathroom. ‘Exactly, but I’m gonna explain urinals and lifting the seat. And putting the seat back down.’

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel waited awkwardly for Dean to return. He could feel Karen’s eyes on him, and he didn’t know if he was supposed to be making idle chitchat or not.

‘Are you going to be on the show, too?’ Karen suddenly asked. When Castiel nodded, she smiled and hummed appreciatively. ‘I can see why. Be prepared for all the fan mail.’

‘Fan mail?’ Castiel asked uneasily. He had only been on screen a few times for the various documentaries he had worked on. He preferred the behind the scenes work: research, location scouting, and animal wrangling. There was one documentary where he had actually spoken on camera, and he had received one piece of fan mail. It had been addressed to ‘the guy with the sex hair, blue eyes, and bedroom voice.’ The contents of the letter had him worried over the sender’s sanity.

Karen nodded with a big smile as she rested her chin on her hand. ‘I just might be one of the ones sending you letters,’ she said. She laughed at Castiel’s lost stare. ‘Be sure to get a lot of headshots made. I’m sure your brother can explain it to you.’

‘Headshots? But…I’m not famous! I’m not going to _be_ famous. I’m just…doing this for my brother,’ Castiel said, shifting uncomfortably. ‘I don’t… I don’t have the same…presence as Gabriel.’

Karen shook her head as she laughed softly. ‘Oh, Gabe’s a cutie, all right. And his enthusiasm is _contagious_! But don’t underestimate yourself, honey. Whether you’re any good won’t matter to some people.’

The door that Sam and Dean had disappeared into opened, and Castiel breathed a sigh of relief. He caught Dean’s confused stare, and Dean smiled as he pushed past Sam. ‘I hope you haven’t been tormenting your brother,’ Castiel said when Dean stood in front of him.

‘Only the normal amount,’ Dean replied with a laugh.

Sam shook his head as he came up to Karen. ‘Hey, uh… Is it okay if Dean stays with us for a while? Just while he…settles,’ he asked, keeping an eye on Dean and Castiel. All the signs were there: the way Dean leaned toward Castiel, the tilt of his head, the slight smile… Dean was definitely on the hunt for a mate. ‘Or loses interest.’

‘He’s welcome to stay as long as he needs,’ Karen replied. ‘Should I look into getting an enclosed pond in the back? We could…cater to a certain crowd.’

Sam’s shoulders drooped, and he leaned on the desk. ‘Please don’t,’ he quietly begged. ‘We are insane. It’s not worth it.’

They looked over as Castiel burst out laughing.

‘No…uh… I mean… I’m not opposed, but…’ Castiel covered his mouth as he was overcome with giggles.

Dean waited patiently for Castiel to recover. Even though he should probably be embarrassed, it was worth it to see the way Castiel’s eyes and nose crinkled as he smiled and to hear his laugh. He looked over as the front door opened and a small group entered. He smiled when he recognized Charlie. ‘Hey, Spot!’

‘Freckles,’ Charlie greeted cautiously as she looked from Dean to Castiel. She raised a brow as Dean stepped closer to Castiel.

‘Cas?’ Gabriel offered a smile as he pushed his sunglasses on top of his head. ‘I thought you were leaving?’

Castiel gasped and waved his hand if front of his face as he looked up at the ceiling. ‘Okay, I’m good. Yes. I’m…heading back…and…’ He glanced at Dean and smiled. ‘Coffee. Coffee-coffee. I’ll…pop your _coffee cherry_ ,’ he managed to say as he peeled off with renewed laughter.

‘I’m missing something,’ Gabriel muttered as he looked between his brother and the man he’d never seen before. ‘I know Cas has a skewed sense of humor, but this is…weird.’

Dean shrugged. ‘I just wanted to know if he meant coffee as in the drink or coffee as in sex,’ he explained. ‘Never had coffee, and he didn’t believe me, so… I thought he meant sex?’

‘ _We can do both!_ ’ Castiel screamed and leaned into Dean’s chest, cackling. ‘He _said that_!’

Gabriel thinned his lips as he stared at Dean. ‘And _who_ are you?’ he asked, crossing his arms as he threw a glare at Dean’s hands on his brother’s shoulders. The last thing his brother needed was someone taking advantage of his fragile state.

‘Someone that has to clarify coffee or _coffee_!’ Castiel replied between laughs.

‘Uh, Dean’s my…brother,’ Sam replied. He offered Gabriel an apologetic smile.

Gabriel scratched his head as he looked back at Castiel giggling helplessly in Dean’s arms. ‘I don’t know who I’m supposed to threaten…’

‘How about we agree that we’re all adults and no one needs to be threatened,’ Sam said. His eyes drifted back to Dean and Castiel, and he frowned as Dean’s arms traveled lowered on Castiel’s back. ‘Yet.’

Castiel reluctantly left Dean’s arms and wiped at his eyes. ‘I hope you’re always like this,’ Castiel said quietly. ‘There’s an espresso machine in my room. So, yes. Coffee. The _drink_.’

‘And if you spike it, then coffee. The activity,’ Anna added, earning sniggers from Samandriel and Charlie.

Dean frowned as Castiel’s eyes suddenly went cold. ‘Cas?’

‘I’ll be going, now,’ he said testily and shouldered the bag of camera equipment. He glanced at Dean and quickly looked away, blushing at Dean’s curious look. ‘I’d still appreciate the help.’

Dean nodded and picked up the bag of scuba gear and followed Castiel out of the hotel, throwing a confused look over his shoulder. He wondered why the redhead’s comment would cause such a change in Castiel’s behavior.

‘Was that really necessary?’ Gabriel asked Anna.

‘I’m just teasing out of jealousy,’ Anna replied. ‘Hell, I would _love_ to get some _coffee_ with that guy. _Any_ of Cas’s exes. He’s shitty at keeping them, but he’s got good taste.’

‘Does that mean you’ve set your sights on Balthazar?’ Samandriel asked with a small smile. ‘I could schedule you two for shooting some interviews.’

Anna blushed brightly as laughter broke out around her. She hadn’t meant to set herself up for that one. What was worse, she couldn’t tell if Samandriel was being serious.


	13. Chapter 13

Dean warily eyed the water that surrounded them as he followed Castiel along the wooden walkway. They had passed several small buildings that Castiel had called ‘bungalows.’ They reached the end where the pathway split into a circle and headed to the bungalow on the opposite side. Dean stared at everything around him. Nothing could have prepared him for grandeur of the hotel proper, nor the concentrated number of small homes. Apparently, humans needed a lot to survive.

‘So, this is…nice,’ Dean said as Castiel unlocked the door.

Castiel groaned and looked over his shoulder at Dean. ‘It wasn’t my idea,’ he insisted as he opened the door and stepped inside. ‘I needed somewhere else to stay, and this is…what I was set up with.’

Dean’s jaw dropped when he entered the small building. Whereas the Singer Hotel had a cozy feel to it, this felt… Dean didn’t have a word for it. He could only think of it as not being lived in. It looked nice, but it smelled…weird. He walked further into the room, and his leg brushed against something soft. He tripped, and Castiel caught him.

‘Muffin! Shoo!’ Castiel hissed as he pushed the cat away with his foot. ‘Sorry, he just likes to…investigate. Um…he’s… Muffin’s…a uh…good cat.’

Dean stared at the cat. None of the shows he had seen had a cat on them. A few mentioned cats, but this was the first time he had seen one. He handed the bag of scuba gear to Castiel and knelt down to get a closer look.

‘I-I uh… Dean? Don’t get too close, he’s….er….temperamental,’ Castiel said. He set the bags down and went to stand near Muffin, ready to scoop the cat up the moment the claws came out. ‘Wait, don’t—’ He broke off and stared dumbly when Dean reached out to touch Muffin and no hissing was heard.

‘He’s so soft!’ Dean said as Muffin rubbed against his hand and along his outstretched arm. He shifted and sat cross legged on the floor, and the cat crawled onto his lap, purring loudly as he sniffed at Dean’s face. ‘Ah! That tickles!’ he laughed as whiskers brushed against his nose. He looked up at Castiel and his smile dropped a little. ‘Somethin’ wrong?’

Castiel shook his head and sat on the floor in front of Dean. ‘No… No, it’s fine. More than fine! It’s just… Muffin doesn’t like people. For the most part.’ He reached over and scratched behind Muffin’s ears, earning a pleased meow. He smiled softly as Muffin left Dean’s lap and settled in his. He looked up to find Dean staring at him intensely, a warm smile on his lips.

‘You look so happy,’ Dean said.

‘Oh. Well… It’s nice to see Muffin happy,’ Castiel replied. ‘And not tearing up someone’s arm…’

‘He does that?’

Castiel held out an arm to show off the light scars that littered his skin. ‘I forget to clip them sometimes, and…I usually remember _after_ I start giving him a bath.’ He sucked in a breath as Dean’s fingers ghosted over his skin.

‘I was wondering what they were from,’ Dean said softly. ‘And they don’t…bother you? You’re okay with them?’

Castiel looked down at his arms and turned them, examining his scars. ‘I guess. I don’t think anyone’s ever noticed them before. It’s not apparent now, but…I’m usually in long sleeves or a wet suit. It’s the tan line that’s embarrassing.’ He pointed to his wrist where skin was beginning to change tone from light to dark. ‘I have a habit of not bothering to maintain a tan on the rest of my body.’

Dean nodded and chewed on his lip. ‘I uh…got some pretty bad scars, myself.’

‘On the back of your right calf,’ Castiel quickly replied. ‘I wouldn’t call them “bad.” They look like they healed quite nicely. What kind of shark was it?’

Dean stared at Castiel in shock. There was a definite hint of excitement in the man’s voice. ‘Uh, well, uh… That one happened when I was…a lot younger, but uh… The more recent one…’ He looked away and moved the left leg of his shorts up to reveal part of the bite that dominated his left thigh. He cringed when Castiel gasped. He was about to cover it back up when Castiel stilled his hand.

‘You are so lucky! It looks like he realized pretty quickly that you weren’t food,’ Castiel said as he leaned in to get a closer look, dislodging Muffin from his lap. ‘This could have been a lot worse…’

‘Uh…yeah,’ Dean eventually said. The only reason the shark had let go was because he had stabbed it in the nose with a sharp piece of shell. He swallowed as Castiel traced over the teeth marks. When Castiel placed a kiss on his thigh, he felt his heart skip a beat. ‘So…how about that coffee?’ he asked, breaking the silence.

Castiel paused as he was sneaking a hand up Dean’s thigh and under the shorts. He glanced up with a confused expression. ‘I’m sorry. Which kind?’ he asked as he sat up.

Dean pulled a frowned. ‘Are you making fun of me?’

Castiel shook his head.

‘Cuz you were laughing earlier…’

Castiel sniggered and shrugged. ‘Usually… _I’m_ the one that’s asking for clarification. I’ve never been on the receiving end. And you just _kept going_. I just… Sorry.’

‘Well, I’m sure I’ll say more dumb things as we get to know each other.’

‘Perfectly fine with me,’ Castiel said as he moved closer and lightly kissed Dean’s lips. He pulled away when he caught the nervous look in Dean’s eye. ‘Oh. Sorry. I don’t normally go this fast. Not sober, at least,’ he said as he sat back.

Dean chuckled and shrugged. ‘Hey, uh… It’s okay, I uh…’ How was he supposed to explain that he didn’t understand just how humans mated and fooled around? ‘I don’t normally pick up strangers I dragged out of the water.’

Castiel laughed as he stood up. ‘How about a movie, then? The kitchen’s pretty well-stocked, so… We’ll have that coffee then some popcorn.’

.-.-.-.-.

Balthazar entered the hotel in a sour mood. By all rights, he should be angry with Castiel, not worried over his well-being. As he headed up the stairs, Gabriel was heading down, nose buried in a notebook. ‘Your brother has no sense of self-preservation,’ he said as he leaned against the wall on the bottom steps, crossing his arms.

Gabriel looked up from his notebook with a confused frowned. ‘What brought this on?’

‘Cas ran off with some guy earlier.’

‘Oh, yeah. Dean. Sam’s brother,’ Gabriel said with a smile. ‘Sam’s pissed that he’s here. I intend to comfort him.’

Balthazar stared up at Gabriel with an unamused expression.

Gabriel coughed and rubbed his neck uncomfortably. ‘Right. Um… Me ‘n’ Charlie are gonna start work on finding a soundtrack tomorrow morning. You wanna join us?’

Balthazar pushed off the wall and moved past Gabriel. ‘We’ll see how much work I get done tonight.’

‘It’s just copy and paste, right? You’re moving stuff from a disc to the computer. Shouldn’t take that long,’ Gabriel said as he watched Balthazar.

Balthazar stopped at the top of the stairs and slowly turned to give Gabriel the most withering gaze he could muster. ‘Yes. That’s _exactly_ how it works. _Especially_ the analog stuff.’

Gabriel slouched and nodded before turning away. ‘We’ll be in my room if you get the time…’ He hurried around the corner, feeling his face heat up. How was _he_ supposed to keep track of how things worked? He paused before entering the lobby, taking a few slow breaths. He stepped into the lobby and smiled brightly at Sam.

‘Thought I heard someone lingering around the corner,’ Sam said as he looked up from the pile of paperwork he had spread out in front of him.

‘Whatcha doin’?’ Gabriel asked. He leaned against the desk and looked down at various highlighted calendars and print-ups. He thought he recognized the name of a travel agency, but he wasn’t sure.

‘Booking a second honeymoon,’ Sam replied as he looked back down.

‘That’s not all…automatic?’

Sam shook his head and glanced back up at Gabriel. ‘Don’t I wish. No. You can book a room through our site or other travel sites, but it’s a fixed price. We’ll usually work with you if you actually call or email us. Uh… That’s how you guys got such a good deal. I think we were the third place that uh…Alfie tried.’

‘Samandriel. He’s my all-in-one scheduling guru and PA,’ Gabriel explained. ‘Alfie’s easier to remember.’

Sam’s face screwed up in confusion. ‘Is it…his middle name?’ he asked. He still didn’t have the best understanding of why humans had so many names. Given names, family names, middle names, _nicknames_ … Some nicknames didn’t even make sense.

Gabriel laughed as he ran his thumb over the edge of his notebook, flipping the pages. ‘No, nothing that simple. No one could pronounce his name at his first job, so he made a new nametag, and it’s followed him ever since.’

Sam nodded and went back to looking over the calendars.

‘Um… How long do you think you’ll be?’

‘This summer looks like it’s gonna be a busy one, and I still need to confirm some dates with a few of our regulars,’ Sam replied with a shrug. ‘So…about an hour or so?’

‘Great. I’ll be back in an hour!’

Sam smiled when Gabriel leaned forward and pecked his cheek. He hooked his hand behind Gabriel’s neck and kept him close. ‘Don’t lose track of time,’ he said before kissing Gabriel, gently coaxing the other’s lips open.

A quiet coughing caught their attention, and Gabriel whined softly as Sam pulled away. They looked over to see Charlie smirking at them.

‘Oh, go shave your legs!’ Gabriel snapped as he rolled his eyes and snatched up his notebook.

Charlie pulled a disgusted face. ‘Shave your own legs,’ she shot back.

‘I wax!’ Gabriel shouted as the door shut behind him.

Charlie sighed as she shook her head. ‘I look _great_ in nylons,’ she said, looking over the paperwork on the desk. ‘Sam, don’t ever try shaving or waxing. It took _months_ for my scales to grow back right.’

‘You…’

‘Just a patch. Gilda stopped me from going all out,’ she explained.

Sam grimaced and subconsciously rubbed one leg with the other.

‘But, hey! I have lighter hair, so…you can’t tell most of the time.’ Charlie raised her arms up with a proud smile. ‘But I _do_ conform with hairless pits! I’m so _sleek_!’

.-.-.-.-.

‘I gotta say…TV is definitely my favorite human invention,’ Dean said as he grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl that rested on his lap.

Castiel shrugged and sipped at his beer. ‘It has its uses,’ he admitted. ‘But diving equipment would have to be _my_ favorite.’

‘You really like being in the water, huh?’

‘All my Halloween costumes have been water related. Shark…shark attack victim…jellyfish… I uh… I went as Ariel during college. Won a contest,’ Castiel replied. He rolled the beer bottle between his hands as he waited for Dean’s reaction.

‘Okay. I have no idea who that is, but congratulations on winning!’ Dean said and kissed Castiel’s cheek.

Castiel stared as Dean turned his attention back to the movie. ‘ _She_ is…a Disney character based on a book. You really haven’t seen _The Little Mermaid_?’

Dean shook his head. ‘I’m guessing it’s about a mermaid? What’s she look like?’ he asked.

Setting his beer on the coffee table, Castiel  got up and made his way to his way to his bed. He picked up his laptop from the center of the bed and booted it up as he made his way back. He placed the laptop onto the coffee table and began pulling up images of the cartoon character.

The corner of Dean’s mouth turned down in disgust. And he thought _his_ tail was undesirable… Ariel’s tail was short, one color, and lacked spines and fins. ‘She’s very…plain looking,’ he said politely.

‘Easier to animate, I’m sure…,’ Castiel said distractedly as he pulled up another search. ‘And this…’ He slammed the laptop shut and tapped his fingers on top. ‘How do you feel about drag shows?’

‘Uh… I’ve never seen one,’ Dean replied. He offered a smile. ‘Are they fun?’

Castiel eyed Dean uncertainly before slowly reopening the laptop. ‘If you tell _anyone_ about this, I’ll…I’ll do something drastic.’

Dean nodded in amusement before looking at the screen. There he saw a picture of a human dressed up as the cartoon mermaid, but she was nowhere near as plain. She had long, red hair accented with pearls and shells, dramatic makeup, sparkling violet shells on her chest, and the most uncomfortable pair of boots that Dean had ever seen. He wondered how she managed to keep her balance in the spiked green shoes. But out of everything, the skirt caught Dean’s attention. It was a shimmering green with hints of purple. It trailed after the human for a good five feet in waves of light ruffles. To Dean, it was as if someone had translated a mermaid’s tail into human clothing. It was short in front and revealed long legs that looked as if they had scales painted on them.

Dean had to stop the appreciative click that was forming as his eyes trailed back up the image to rest on smiling blue eyes. Very familiar blue eyes. He blinked as his brows came together. He looked over at Castiel who was staring at him with a worried expression and chewing on his thumbnail.

‘I-I was really high at the time,’ Castiel stuttered. ‘I don’t get high anymore! I can’t. They do drug testing where I…used to…work… And it’s not like—’

Dean cut off Castiel with a kiss and pushed him back against the couch arm. He grinned at Castiel’s bewildered expression as he pulled back. ‘I’d like to see you dressed like that,’ he said huskily. ‘Maybe…without the red hair?’

‘Right. No wig. I can do that,’ Castiel said breathlessly. ‘It’s in storage… But uh…I can get my er…friend…to grab it before he gets here?’

Dean leaned back and pulled Castiel along with him as he lay back. ‘I’d like that,’ he said as he pulled Castiel on top of him and kissed his neck.

‘I thought you wanted to wait?’ Castiel said with a moan.  He grinned as he ran his fingers through Dean’s short hair. ‘At this rate, I’ll be expecting to wake up with a sore ass.’

Dean paused, breathing heavily against Castiel’s neck. ‘R-right.’ He really needed to speak with his brother before he ended up embarrassing himself even more than he already had. Especially since he had no idea what Castiel was talking about. ‘Sorry, I uh…got a little carried away.’

Castiel smiled down at Dean. ‘I don’t mind,’ he said softly then rested his head on Dean’s chest. ‘But this is good, too.’ He closed his eyes and listened to Dean’s heartbeat. He smiled to himself as Dean’s arms wrapped around him. Briefly, he wondered how Dean felt about long distance relationships. As he watched the movie from his position cuddled against Dean, he played out a fantasy in his head where he would get to go on research expeditions then come home to Dean and Muffin. He drifted off to sleep, feeling more satisfied than he had for quite some time.

.-.-.-.-.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the lagoon, the provided dinner had ended, and the small TV crew headed to their rooms.

Sam began gathering up the dirty dishes, but stopped as Bobby took them from him and nodded his head to the door leading to the lobby. He turned and found Gabriel lingering in the half-open doorway. He smiled as Gabriel gave him an embarrassed smile and a shrug.

‘Go on,’ Bobby said. ‘I got this.’

‘Thanks,’ Sam said and quickly headed for Gabriel.

Gabriel giggled as Sam pushed him out into the lobby. He looped his arms around Sam’s neck and walked backwards as Sam guided them to the small hallway. ‘Been lookin’ forward to this since I translated what you said back the bar,’ he said. He moaned quietly as he was pushed against a wall.

‘I could tell,’ Sam replied and bent down to kiss the shorter man as he fumbled with the door knob. He shot up as he felt someone brush against his back.

‘Sorry! Sorry!’ Charlie said as she scooted along the wall. She had a small bag and a towel in her arms.

Sam frowned at the towel and brought his eyes up to meet Charlie’s.

‘Nighttime swim,’ she said with a small head bob. ‘While it’s…cool out.’

‘Yes, good. Have fun. Good night,’ Gabriel said clipped tones, pulling Sam back down.

Sam waved at Charlie. ‘Head down the beach about half a mile. There’s a…good spot.’ He didn’t hear Charlie’s reply as Gabriel opened the door to his room, and he was dragged inside.

‘There. That’s better.’ Gabriel flicked the lights on, and his attention was immediately caught by a shelf lined with sparkling snow globes. Another shelf was lined with sea shell creatures covered in glitter. He quickly turned the lights back off. ‘And that’s _much_ better. Next time…my room.’

Sam laughed and pushed Gabriel onto his bed. ‘Whatever makes you happy,’ he said as he crawled on top and pushed Gabriel’s shirt up.

Gabriel pulled on Sam’s shirt and eventually managed to remove it. He ran hands along Sam’s chest and down to his hips. ‘Fuck, you are _ripped_! Changed my mind! Lights!’

‘Busy,’ Sam grunted, tugging at Gabriel’s jeans.

Gabriel threw his head back and bucked against Sam, digging his fingers into the bedding. ‘Oh, God!’

‘Shh… These aren’t exactly the thickest walls,’ Sam warned. He moaned loudly when a hand cupped him through his shorts.

‘I can name one thing that _is_ thick,’ Gabriel said lewdly. He squeaked in surprise as Sam pulled his legs up and ground hard against his ass. ‘Oh…fuck…’

‘I intend to.’

.-.-.-.-.

Balthazar flinched as another shout drifted up from below. Apparently, being loud ran in the family. As much as Castiel tried to be quiet, Balthazar had firsthand experience at how loud he could get when in the throes of passion. He looked over to see Samandriel happily reading a book.

After a good two minutes of staring, Samandriel eventually looked up. He caught the annoyed looked on Balthazar’s face and the grimace that flitted across. ‘There are extra earplugs are in my bag. Front pocket. They’re clearly labeled,’ he said. He watched as Balthazar fished out a pair, and he smiled as Balthazar put them in. He had the misfortune of hearing his boss once. Once was all it took for him to learn his lesson about being prepared for _anything_.


	14. Chapter 14

Castiel snuggled happily against the warm chest he rested on. He relaxed further as a hand gently stroked his hair. ‘Mm… Good morning.’

‘Morning’ Dean replied. For most of the night he had watched Castiel sleep, his own mind in a half-asleep state. A couple times, he completely lost consciousness and was afraid that he would awaken Castiel when he startled awake. Being dry was going to take a lot of getting used to.

Castiel pushed himself up then quickly dipped in for a kiss. ‘Would you…like to take a shower with me?’ he asked.

Dean took a moment to recall what the word meant. ‘Oh. Er… I’d love to, but uh… I have this…thing,’ he uneasily replied. ‘It’s uh… Y’know…unfamiliar showers and baths and…stuff.’

Castiel chuckled as he nodded in understanding. ‘I understand. You wouldn’t be the first mysophobe I’ve dated,’ he said. He looked over to see his laptop still on the coffee table. ‘That will…actually work out quite well for now… Um… You take over the bathroom for a bit, and I’ll set you up with some breakfast and a movie.’

While Dean had vanished to the bathroom, Castiel quickly called for room service, ordering a few choices for breakfast. He then scanned through the movies that the hotel offered until he found what he was looking for. He grinned sheepishly as Dean reentered the room. ‘I uh… Here,’ he said, playing the movie. ‘If room service gets here before I’m done, just sign for it and give them this.’ He handed Dean some cash and turned to grab a change of clothes from the bedroom.

Dean nodded and was about to ask what ‘room service’ was when music began playing. He looked at the television and was completely distracted from the world around him. The title showed on the screen, and he immediately regretted not learning to read.

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel shut the door to the bathroom and started up the shower before calling Crowley. ‘I need you to bring something!’ he said the moment Crowley picked up.

‘Well, hello to you, too.’

Castiel took a breath. ‘I’ll be on your documentary or whatever you want. I will walk around with my wetsuit around my hips,’ he said. ‘I just need you to bring me something.’

‘Oh?’ Crowley replied, unable to hide the intrigue from his voice. ‘And what am I bringing? Is it from the special box?’

‘Special… No! I don’t… Never mind. In my storage unit, there is a box marked “Halloween.” In that box is my Ariel costume. Bring it,’ Castiel said as he stripped down. He worried as only silence met him.

‘Castiel…what do you need it for?’ Crowley asked.

Casitel sighed in frustration. Crowley was going to find out sooner or later. ‘I’ve met someone, and he has expressed interest in seeing me in it…’

‘Uh-huh… Sounds like a winner,’ Crowley replied.

‘Crowley—’

‘Don’t get your knickers in a twist. I’ll bring the damned thing. But I will be holding you up to your end of the bargain. On screen half-naked, I believe. That’ll do nicely.’

They bid their goodbyes, and Castiel stepped into the shower.

.-.-.-.-.

Dean’s mouth was hanging open as he watched Ariel narrowly escape the shark. It brought back some of his own memories of swimming as fast as he could with his little brother clutched tightly against his chest, barely managing to find a crevice to squeeze into. The three slashes along what was now his right calf served as a reminder of how lucky he had been.

There was a loud knock at the door, and Dean was about to get when Castiel darted in front of him. ‘Got it. Got it,’ he said, grabbing the money on his way. When Castiel returned, he was carrying a tray of food.

‘I didn’t know what you’d like, so I just ordered a little of everything,’ Castiel explained, setting the tray on the coffee table. ‘How are you liking the movie?’

Dean picked up a piece of bacon and sniffed at it. ‘So far, so good,’ he replied. ‘But uh… How do they breathe? Or are they just not showing that part?’

Castiel sighed as he picked up a fork. ‘Supposedly, they can breathe underwater. And above. Maybe they’re amphibians. I suggest not thinking about it.’

‘Oh, uh… Okay then,’ Dean said as he turned back to the movie, munching away on the bacon. By the time Ariel received her legs, Dean had found that he liked eggs, waffles with whipped cream and berries, and bacon. He stared in confusion with a piece of bacon halfway to his mouth. ‘Wait… Why…?’

Castiel paused the movie and turned to face Dean. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Well, why doesn’t she just…go on land? She should get legs after she dries off,’ Dean said, waving the piece of bacon at the screen. He stopped breathing when he realized what he had just said. ‘I mean… Well…’

‘You’re thinking of _Splash_ ,’ Castiel replied. At Dean’s helpless stare, he continued. ‘It’s another mermaid movie. Um…Tom Hanks. Daryl Hannah. It’s not…horrible. Standard romantic comedy.’

‘Yeah…guess I only saw a small part of it…’

Castiel smiled in amusement. ‘Probably the bath scene.’

‘That’d be it,’ Dean said easily. He turned his attention back to the screen as the movie continued. Overall, Dean enjoyed the movie. Ariel got what she wanted, and her love knew what she was. The only part Dean didn’t agree with was the part where she was stuck as a human. If her father had the power to give her legs, then couldn’t he have given her the ability to change back and forth? When he voiced his opinion, Castiel just shrugged.

‘At least it’s not the original ending,’ Castiel said.

‘And what’s that?’ Dean asked.

‘She dies. She loses the prince to some other woman,’ Castiel explained. ‘She’s given a chance to save herself by killing him, but she doesn’t. Instead, she throws herself into the sea and becomes a spirit.’

Dean stared at Castiel in horror. ‘That’s a shitty ending! Who came up with that?!’ He huffed indignantly when Castiel began laughing. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he leaned back against the couch, torn between embarrassment and loving the sound of Castiel’s laughter. He jumped when a hand lightly caressed his chest.

‘I’m sorry,’ Castiel said between giggles. ‘Really, I am. If it makes you feel any better, I get quite passionate about inaccuracies in movies when I’m drunk.’

Dean gave Castiel a doubtful look. ‘I’ll believe it when I see it.’

Castiel smirked and leaned against Dean, running his hand down Dean’s chest. ‘I can arrange that…’

A chipper-sounding ring erupted, and Castiel gave an irritated sigh. He stood up and made his way to the bedroom where his phone lay on the bed. He picked it up and wandered back into the living room, staring at the name of the caller. He glanced at Dean and back at his phone. Biting his lip, he answered it. ‘Yes, Balthazar?’

‘I am so, _so_ sorry!’

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel grumbled as there was a knock on the door. ‘No…stay…ignore it,’ he mumbled as Sam wiggled out from beneath him. He heard Samandriel’s voice and groaned as he pulled a pillow over his head. ‘Lemme alone!’

‘We need to work on the soundtrack,’ Samandriel said, keeping his eyes glued to the ceiling. ‘Charlie’s got everything set up in your room, and I already have some breakfast waiting.’

‘What time is it?’ Sam asked. He looked at his clock to see that it was only eight in the morning. He breathed a sigh of relief, glad that he hadn’t slept in too late.

‘Too early,’ Gabriel replied, throwing his pillow at Samandriel. ‘Come back later.’

Sam smiled down at Samandriel’s pleading stare. ‘It’s just as well,’ he said as he made his way to his bed and leaned over Gabriel. ‘I have a lot to do today.’ He kissed the man in his bed and laughed as arms latched around his neck. ‘Once you get your work done, come and find me.’

_[Full version of above image](http://likhoradka.tumblr.com/post/69554045531/full-version-because-some-people-showed-interest) (nsfw)_

Gabriel slowly kissed Sam and nodded. ‘Fine,’ he relented. ‘I’ll go do my chores, and you go do yours.’ He dressed and followed Samandriel to his room. He grimaced at the haphazard state of his belongings and the various computer screens that were precariously balanced on his bed and desk.

‘There you are!’ Charlie said as she looked up. ‘Get your morning quickie?’

Gabriel threw her a half-hearted glare. ‘I wanted one, but Alfie kept me from getting it.’

‘Next time, I’ll schedule you some extra time,’ Samandriel said as he sat down on the bed and pulled up the script for the episode they were working on.

‘No wonder you don’t have a girlfriend,’ Gabriel muttered.

‘There are other reasons for that,’ Samandriel easily replied.

‘Boyfriend then. Geez.’ Gabriel sank onto the floor with a loud yawn. ‘So what’s first?’

‘First, we find the stock ambient sounds,’ Charlie said as she dug through a pile of Gabriel’s clothes. ‘I have ten CDs here, and none of them are marked!’

‘Uh… It’s the uh…silver one.’ Gabriel received a dirty look and shrugged. ‘Clear case?’

Charlie thinned her lips as she picked up a CD in a clear case from the pile of multicolored cases. ‘You win this round. For now,’ she said as she popped it into the laptop on the desk. She frowned when she opened it and saw a single video file simply labeled as ‘CST.’ Curiosity got the best of her, and she opened it on the second monitor. She stared in awe at what greeted her.

_‘Well, have you tried hitting **record**?’ Castiel asked, glaring as he took a swig from an almost-empty wine bottle._

_‘Oh! There it goes!’ an accented voice replied._

‘What is…?’ Gabriel looked up to see his brother’s drunken face plastered across a computer screen. His mouth dropped open in shock.

_‘About fucking time… I wanna do this in one take,’ Castiel said, polishing off the last of the wine. He swayed as he made his way to large bed and dropped onto it. He grinned at the camera as he rolled onto his back and unbuttoned his shirt._

_‘Go slower.’_

_‘Shut up, Crowley!’ Castiel growled, his eyes flicking just to the side of the camera. He moaned as he pulled his shirt off and started on his slacks._

_‘You should tease your nipples. That’s always a good start,’ Crowley said, bringing the camera closer and focusing on Castiel’s hands. ‘Here, put the shirt back on. We’ll start over.’_

_‘I’m not doing takes! One angle. One shot. One time. I’m not making Jody’s… **production**!’ Castiel reached up and forced the camera to point at his face. ‘I want it sexy. I want it to be hot. I want it…I want… It has to be impromptu!’_

_Crowley sighed and backed away, settling at Castiel’s feet. ‘Proceed.’_

_Castiel stared just off camera for a moment before switching his gaze back to the camera and leering. ‘Mmm… I wanna feel your hands on me. Wanna feel your fingers on my hips,’ he moaned, running his fingers along his waistband. He slowly pulled his pants off, revealing dark boxers. He reached down and rubbed himself through the fabric._

‘T-turn it off!’ Gabriel shouted as he got control of his voice. He stumbled to his feet and tripped over a pile of clothing. ‘Charlie! _Off_!!’

‘No way!’ Charlie said gleefully. ‘This is the sex tape! _The_ sex tape! Your brother is _hot_.’

‘And flexible,’ Samandriel added, tilting his head to the side.

‘Stop looking at him!’

‘Woah! Tattoo!’ Charlie exclaimed as Castiel crawled to his knees. ‘Didn’t see that the other night…’

‘When did he…?!’ Gabriel stared in shock at the small black wings and occult symbols that decorated the small of Castiel’s back and hips.

_‘Aa-ahh! Mmm… So good…’_

_‘Spread your legs a little more,’ Crowley said, moving to get a better angle._

_Castiel kicked out at Crowley, earning a guttural gasp. ‘No director commentary! No gag reel, no special features! Shut up!!’_

_The camera righted and focused back on Castiel._

‘Gag reel… Oh, fuck,’ Gabriel muttered. ‘I know what this is.’

Charlie and Samandriel glanced at Gabriel before having their attention drawn back to the screen by a loud moan. They whined pathetically when Gabriel slammed the laptop shut and the monitor’s screen went black.

Gabriel ran his hand though his hair looking around the room in discomfort. ‘I have to talk to Bal…’

‘Why?’ Charlie asked. She pouted as Gabriel ejected the CD and took it.

‘Because _this_ ,’ he said, holding up the disc, ‘is one big misunderstanding, and I won’t have him hating my brother over a present gone wrong.’

‘Present?’ Samandriel repeated. He looked to Charlie for a clue when Gabriel left the room. Charlie shrugged and shook her head. ‘Guess we’ll find out later…’

Charlie nodded as she sifted through the pile of CDs and pulled out another unlabeled CD in a clear case. ‘Too bad we didn’t start sooner…’

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel leaned against the door and banged loudly. ‘Bal. Balthazar! We need to talk.’ He looked up and grimaced at the annoyed look on Balthazar’s face when the door opened.

‘I _was_ sleeping,’ Balthazar said, crossing his arms.

Gabriel’s eyes drifted up to the bedhead Balthazar was sporting. ‘Yeah. Sorry. But this is important. It’s about Cas.’

Balthazar rolled his eyes and leaned against the door frame. ‘What about him. I already know he’s shooting his scenes alone.’

‘No, it’s…’ Gabriel listed his hand, revealing the CD. ‘This isn’t what you think it is.’

Balthazar frowned at the disc in confusion. ‘I have no idea _what_ that is.’

‘It’s not a sex tape,’ Gabriel bit out. ‘It’s…a uh… I dunno how to put it.’

‘Not a sex tape? Looked like one to me,’ Balthazar said icily.

‘It’s…a video dildo? I don’t know!’ Gabriel wailed miserably. ‘Apparently Crowley has one of his wife. Only reason _I_ know about it is because Cas walked in on Crowley watching it so many times, he’s pretty much seen the whole thing! And who does he bitch to about it? Me!’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘This,’ Gabriel said, shaking the CD. ‘This was meant for _you_. For when he’s gone on long trips. Fuck. Before he went to the Caribbean that one time, he said he wanted to get you something special. I guess he got drunk enough that he thought this would be a better idea than the ring.’

‘Ring?’

Gabriel quickly looked away. ‘Y-yeah…’

Balthazar took a slow breath. In the weeks leading up to Castiel’s trip, Castiel had been acting skittish. After seeing the footage of Castiel and Crowley, he had assumed it was because the two had been seeing each other. But if Castiel was secretly buying a ring… He quickly shook off the thought. ‘Then why the fuck is Crowley in it? Did he think I’d like that?’

Gabriel shook his head. ‘He’s there to tape it. I’m guessing he never makes an appearance during the whole thing. Just talks.’ Balthazar nodded, and Gabriel continued. ‘Uh…Cas said that when Jody made hers, she had a couple friends help. There’s a…a gag reel.’ Gabriel broke off, looking around the hallway. ‘I don’t know how to explain it.’

‘Let me get this straight: Castiel wanted to make a tape for me to watch when he was away on long trips?’

‘If it’s like Crowley and Jody’s, then…yeah.’

‘That…that actually explains the ending…,’ Balthazar said quietly, looking away.

‘Ending? Wait. I don’t wanna know. No. Yes, I do. What ending?’

‘Now I can keep you company and make you miss me more,’ Balthazar recited. He shook his head as he turned away. ‘Fuck… I was so…angry… I didn’t even explain _why_ I broke up with him.’

‘This whole thing coulda been cleared up long ago, and you two would be a happily married couple. That’s sweet,’ Gabriel said. ‘But I think that ship’s sailed.’

Balthazar thought back to when Castiel had been standing outside his door. ‘Not entirely.’

‘Bal,’ Gabriel said in a warning tone. ‘Please don’t…do anything.’

‘Do you really think your cabana boy’s brother is serious? Besides, I’m only going to apologize. The rest is up to Castiel,’ Balthazar said, giving Gabriel a winning smile.

Gabriel frowned and chewed on his lip. ‘Just… Whatever you do, be gentle. Cas…’ He trailed off and shook his head. If things got too bad, he could always send Balthazar home and have Charlie work as editor until they found someone new.


	15. Chapter 15

‘I am so, _so_ sorry!’

‘Uh… Okay,’ Castiel said uncertainly. He didn’t know what to expect when he saw Balthazar’s name on his phone, but he hadn’t been expecting an apology. He glanced at Dean and forced a reassuring smile.

‘I broke up with you for the wrong reason,’ Balthazar said.

‘I went to the Caribbean without even telling you. I called you on the third day from a boat,’ Castiel replied. ‘I think you were justified.’

There was a pause on Balthazar’s side followed by a heavy sigh. ‘No, Castiel. _That_ , I was used to. _That_ , I understood and expected. I… I broke up with you because I thought you had cheated on me with Crowley. …Um…Cas? Castiel? Are you crying?’

Castiel couldn’t keep his laughter contained as tiny gasps anymore. ‘That’s… Where did you even get that idea?! Ha! _Crowley_? _Me_ and Crowley?!’ He broke off in another wave of chuckles.

‘Yes,’ Balthazar bit out. ‘Clearly, that isn’t the case, but the evidence did not shine in your favor.’

Castiel caught his breath and sat on the couch next to Dean. ‘What evidence?’

‘Crowley recorded you jerking off. He was giving you instructions.’

Castiel’s smile dropped instantly as he remembered a night full of too much tequila. ‘Oh, God,’ he whispered. ‘No. No, no, no… I thought I dreamt that! It’s not what you think! Fuck! It’s gotta look bad… I-it’s not… It was for _you_! It’s…it’s…’

‘Gabriel explained it to me.’

‘Gabriel?’ Castiel numbly repeated. Dean’s arm wrapped around his shoulder, and he looked up to Dean’s questioning gaze. He gave shrug and looked down at his lap. ‘Gabriel saw?’

‘Yeah… Sorry. He, uh…confiscated it when I told him about it. Apparently, he mixed it up with another disc,’ Balthazar explained.

Castiel let out a long breath. ‘Where is it, now?’

‘I’ve been charged with keeping it out of Charlie’s hands.’

‘Can I…have it back?’ Castiel asked.

‘In exchange for dinner,’ Balthazar replied. ‘Let me right this, Cas. There’s still something there. I can’t fix what happened, but…let me try to make it better?’

Cas bit his lip. ‘G-gimme a sec…’ He muted his phone and turned to Dean. ‘Um… There’s a uh…sex tape, I guess, of me masturbating, and to get it back…I have to go on a date with my ex. I still…kinda like him. I don’t know how things will turn out.’

‘Sex tape?’ Dean repeated in confusion.

‘Yeah… I uh...had a friend tape me… I trust Balthazar not to _do_ anything with it, but if you’re not comfortable with me seeing him, then I understand,’ Castiel explained.

Dean ran over the information. There was a movie of Castiel getting off. To get it back, Castiel would have to date someone else at the same time. If Castiel got it back, then he might be allowed to see it. But…there was a chance that Castiel would choose the other person. He didn’t understand the problem. ‘Why would I have a problem with that?’ he asked.

‘Well, I’m seeing _you_. Unless…’ Castiel bit his lip. ‘Is this an open relationship?’

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ Dean admitted. ‘I can’t stop you from…dating around. It’s your choice in the end. How else are you gonna pick the right…um…’ He paused, trying to think of another word for ‘mate.’ ‘The right…y’know…’

Castiel nodded. ‘So…you won’t be jealous?’

‘Well, yeah! But it’s more incentive for me to try harder, right?’ Dean said as he leaned in and kissed at Castiel’s neck.

Castiel bit back a moan as he let Dean push him down. ‘I wouldn’t worry _too_ much… Mmm…’ He sighed when Dean pulled back, grinning. ‘What’s that look for?’

Dean leaned back down and kissed Castiel hard. ‘Just left a little note for the competition,’ he said softly.

Castiel slapped his hand against his neck, blushing brightly. ‘Y-you gave me hickey?!’

Dean backed off of Castiel, crestfallen. He really needed to figure out how humans operated. How did humans let others know that they were seeking a potential mate? That they had more than one suitor? Mermaids would mark each other. It let the competition know that they had to make their move. More than once, Dean was used as a kick in the tail for his partner’s intended target. He desperately hoped this wasn’t the case. Maybe he shouldn’t have let instinct take over. ‘Er…sorry. I uh…’

‘No, it’s fine… I know how to cover it up, but…’ Castiel’s stomach flipped at the prospect of letting everyone know just what he was getting up to. The last time he had such a visible hickey, he had been hung over and giving his oral presentation on dolphin migration. He looked at his phone. If Balthazar wanted a chance, he’d have to want Castiel for everything he was and had been. ‘I…think I’ll leave it, actually. But only if I get to give you one to match,’ he said with a slight smile. His smile widened as Dean pulled him on top.

‘I’d love that,’ Dean said quietly. He pouted as Castiel pulled away, holding up a finger and smiling.

Castiel unmuted his phone and schooled his features. ‘It’s a deal, but I think you should be aware of the fact that you have some competition,’ he said lightly.

‘Competition? What, boat-boy? _That’s_ my competition?,’ Balthazar replied with a laugh. ‘Wait… He’s with you right now. Isn’t he?’

‘Yes,’ Castiel replied, trailing his hand down Dean’s chest. He bit his tongue when Dean lightly grasped his hand and began to kiss his fingers.

‘Did you… Did you sleep with him?’

‘Ye—no. In what sense?’

‘Sex, Castiel.’

‘No,’ Castiel replied. ‘Though I will admit I’m a bit disappointed about that.’ He smirked at the frown Dean gave him. He raised his brow curiously at the sigh he heard coming from the other end of the phone. He knew that sigh. It was the one Balthazar made when he was refraining from making a biting remark. Balthazar was making an effort to not offend him.

‘Right, so… You wanna get a bite tonight?’ Balthazar eventually said. ‘See where it leads?’

‘Tonight… Uh… I guess that’s okay.’ Castiel closed his eyes as Dean kissed his way up his arm.

‘I’ll meet you here at the Singer Hotel. Five o’clock sound good?’

‘Oh. Uh, yes. Sure,’ Castiel replied.

‘See you then. Kisses.’

‘Kisses,’ Castiel replied automatically. Before he could correct himself or deny it, Balthazar had hung up. ‘Shit.’ He glanced down at Dean. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean for that to slip out…’

‘Long history together?’ Dean asked as he pulled Castiel back down.

‘Very long,’ Castiel admitted. ‘I met him a couple years after college. Hit it right off…’

‘Yeah… I had a girl back home like that,’ Dean said. ‘We were…pretty good together, but…I wasn’t what she was looking for.’

‘Can’t imagine why not,’ Castiel said as he kissed Dean. ‘But enough talk… I believe we were going to have a…matching set.’ He kissed way down to Dean’s neck and began sucking and nipping, determined to leave prominent mark.

Dean moaned softly as his hips rose of their own accord to brush against Castiel. He shivered at the sensation. He was so much more _sensitive_ in his human form.

Castiel chuckled and kissed Dean’s chin. ‘I’m probably going to be pretty busy for a while,’ he said. ‘But as long as you’re staying with your brother, I’ll make sure to swing by.’

‘Oh. So tomorrow…?’ Dean asked, his disappointment clear.

‘Shooting some scenes,’ Castiel replied. ‘I still have to work while I’m here, but I will make time for us.’ He groaned miserably as he dropped his head onto Dean’s chest. ‘Balthazar’s gonna want to go back to our original schedule…’

‘Something wrong with that?’ Dean asked as he ran his hand through Castiel’s hair. He kissed the top of Castiel’s head. He was truly enjoying the casual nature of human kissing. There was just one problem. His nose scrunched at the smell of Castiel’s hair. There was a sweetness there that he didn’t particularly care for. Was this what that ‘shampoo’ stuff smelled like? He already didn’t like the soap Castiel was using, and it took forever to rinse it off his hands. He knew there was soap that smelled okay, but was there shampoo?

‘He’s gonna use every opportunity to spend time with me now,’ he mumbled.

‘So…you _don’t_ wanna spend time with him?’ Dean asked with a sly smile.

Castiel sighed and shrugged. ‘I don’t know… This’d be so much easier in college.’

‘How so?’

‘I’d suggest a threesome.’

Dean frowned as Castiel tensed in his arms. ‘And that would be bad because…?’

 Castiel looked up at Dean uncertainly. ‘Well…I don’t think everyone would agree. I uh…used to organize orgies… College was very…eventful for me.’

‘Eventful can be fun,’ Dean replied. ‘Or sucky and full of shark attacks…’

The more Castiel let slip, the more Dean surprised him. His cat liked Dean. Dean liked to swim. Dean didn’t seem to mind his past. The more he thought about it, the more Dean seemed like a keeper. Besides a cheesy roleplay that he had always wanted to play out, there was one thing he _really_ wanted to do on a date. But, given Dean’s scars…

‘So diving with sharks would not be a good date idea,’ Castiel said, careful to keep the disappointment from his voice. Only fellow researchers would join him in the shark cage. It was a fact that he had grown used to. Not even Balthazar would join him.

‘You change your shampoo and soap, and I’ll think about it.’

Castiel stared at Dean with wide eyes. ‘Really. You don’t like my soap, so you’re trying to barter a shark dive? Isn’t that a little disproportional?’

‘Hey. I have a sensitive nose,’ Dean said defensively. ‘You smell good. As yourself. I can still make it out, but, right now, you smell too…sweet.’ He didn’t mention that he was confident that he could outswim a shark.

Castiel laughed and tapped Dean’s nose. ‘And _you_ smell like the ocean. I like it.’ He sat up and helped Dean upright. ‘I think we can squeeze in a couple more movies before my date. Any requests?’

Dean shrugged. ‘Whatever you want. I wanna learn what kinda stuff you like,’ he said. It was the truth, but it was a good way to avoid saying that he had never seen any movies other than what he’d already seen with Castiel.

.-.-.-.-.

‘I have never been so traumatized!’ Gabriel moaned as he paced back and forth in the lobby of the Singer Hotel. ‘I’ll never be able to look at him again!’

‘You’ll get over it,’ Sam said distractedly. He was standing on a ladder, changing a light bulb in one of the ceiling lights.

‘I’ll never get over it! He’s supposed to be this sweet, stuck up, innocent, nerdy, stick-in-the-mud! Not a…a… _porn star_!’ Gabriel huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the ladder and Sam’s feet. ‘And now Bal’s tryin’ to get back with him!’

‘Balthazar’s doing _what_?’ Anna said as she came into the lobby.

Gabriel turned his head to Anna and grimaced. ‘Cas didn’t cheat on Bal. It was one big, fucked up misunderstanding, and I don’t wanna think about it,’ he explained. ‘This was supposed to be good for Cas’s mental stability, not push him over the edge.’

‘That explains why he reeks of cologne,’ Anna said. ‘You told him getting back with Cas is a bad idea, right?’

‘He still thinks there’s something there,’ Gabriel explained, waving his hand around. ‘He thinks he can salvage it.’

Anna gave Gabriel an uncertain look. ‘I thought Cas was dating coffee-guy?’

‘Apparently, he’ll be dating both of us,’ Balthazar said as he entered the hallway. ‘Not that it’s going to matter much longer.’ He knew what Castiel liked to see him wearing, so he dressed appropriately: a dark lightweight jacket, a blue V-neck shirt, and a simple pair of jeans. He straightened the cuffs of his jacket. He looked up and met Anna’s confused stare. ‘What?’

‘Nothing. You…you clean up… _nice_ ,’ Anna said as she looked over Balthazar, the disbelief in her voice obvious. ‘V-neck suits you.’

‘Thank you… I think.’ Balthazar looked around the lobby and caught Sam’s wary gaze. ‘Don’t tell me. Your brother’s afraid of a little completion, so he’s gonna try to kick my ass.’

‘No… Uh… Where we’re from, we’re used to…dating multiple people at the same time,’ Sam carefully replied as he stepped off the ladder. ‘He would actually think it was weird if Castiel _didn’t_ give you a chance.’

Balthazar looked doubtful. ‘And what about you?’ he asked, looking between Sam and Gabriel. ‘Are _you_ dating around?’

Gabriel rolled his eyes as he shook his head. ‘My love affair doesn’t concern you, Balthazar.’

Sam lightly touched Gabriel’s shoulder and smiled when the shorter man looked up at him. ‘It’s fine. And for the record, Gabe _is_ the only one.’

The front door opened with a soft chime, and Castiel and Dean entered. Castiel was frowning at Dean as he spoke. ‘You keep calling her that. Why? I don’t get the reference.’

‘Well… She has uh…’ Dean rubbed his neck as his face scrunched up in thought. Charlie had a spotted tail. Her real name translated to ‘beautiful spots dancing in the sea.’ ‘Spot’ made more sense than the mouthful that her name really was. Much like how Charlie referred to him as ‘Freckles.’ ‘Spot, er…Charlie has…’ He looked around the lobby, and his eyes landed on Sam. He silently pleaded for help.

‘Oh, she’s got this birthmark on her ass. This huge dot on her left cheek,’ Gabriel said. He laughed nervously as all eyes went to him. ‘Uh… I know this because…we uh… Someone gave us the wrong brownies when we went looking for Bigfoot.’

‘ _Someone_ being you,’ Charlie said with a smirk. She leaned against the hall entrance, Samandriel right beside her. They had seen Dean and Castiel coming up the path and didn’t want to miss the confrontation that was bound to happen.

‘Okay, fine. It was me! _You_ asked me to bring them,’ Gabriel pointed out.

Charlie let out a snort of laughter. ‘I’d do it again in a heartbeat! That was _fun_!’

‘As entertaining as this is, Cas and I have somewhere to be,’ Balthazar said. He gave a dismissive glance to Dean and smiled at Castiel. His smile froze as his eyes landed on the dark bruise just on the left side of Castiel’s neck. His eyes quickly flicked to Dean’s neck to find a matching love bite in almost the same spot. His lips thinned as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he reopened his eyes, he smiled brightly at Castiel. ‘Shall we?’

‘Oh, um… Yes,’ Castiel said uncertainly. He had fully been expecting Balthazar to say something. He looked up at Dean. ‘I guess I’ll see you later.’

Dean leaned down and kissed Castiel deeply, slowly threading his fingers through Castiel’s hair. He pulled away, and Castiel tried to follow. ‘Don’t forget,’ he said jokingly.

‘Yeah…,’ Castiel said with a small smile. He blushed when he remembered that they were being watched and ducked his head. ‘I mean… Y’know…’

Dean laughed and stepped away. He looked over the group in the lobby and locked eyes with the man that fit Castiel’s description of Balthazar. He tilted his chin up and smirked. ‘Have fun, you two,’ he said.

Balthazar raised his brow at Dean, clearly unimpressed. ‘Believe me. We will,’ he said, brushing past Dean. He wrapped his arm around Castiel’s waist, grinning ear-to-ear on the inside as Castiel melted right into him, as if the past four years hadn’t happened. He glanced at Dean as he gently ushered Castiel to the door. ‘Don’t wait up,’ he said with a wink.

The door shut behind them, and Castiel pulled away, crossing his arms. ‘I let you have your fun. Let’s just…get this over with.’


	16. Chapter 16

Dean looked around Sam’s room, trying to place what was different from the last time he had been there. Something was missing. He snapped his fingers, drawing Sam’s attention. ‘All those little balls! What happened to them?’

Sam shut the door as he fully entered the room and grimaced. ‘Not everyone likes snow globes,’ he replied.

‘Why not? They looked really cool! Especially the sparkly ones!’ Dean said as he picked up a book and flipped through it, pausing when he came across pictures.

Sam shook his head in amusement as he leaned against the door. Eventually, Dean would understand some of nuances of human taste. ‘So what did you wanna talk about?’

‘Sex,’ Dean replied, not looking up from the book. ‘And reading. I need to know about both.’

Sam stared at Dean in silence. Dean finally looked up, and Sam looked away. ‘Uh…I guess I can set you up with some uh…videos?’

Dean nodded happily and set the book back down. He watched as Sam pulled out a laptop much like the one he had seen Castiel use. ‘What _is_ that?’ he asked. ‘Cas has one, too. It had pictures on it.’

‘It’s a…er… It’s a laptop. It’s like a computer, but smaller…and…it can do a lot of…stuff,’ Sam replied. He set the laptop on his desk and booted it up. He pulled up a porn site and waved Dean over. ‘Okay, so… Click on these pictures for the uh…category…’

‘What’s that?’ Dean asked, pointing.

Sam ducked his head, feeling his face heat up. ‘Bondage. Look, just…stay with this one for now. I’m guessing this is about Castiel, so…just stick with the gay porn. It’ll be easier,’ he said as he clicked on a picture of two men kissing. ‘Just stay on this page. Click on the picture, watch the video, then click this arrow up here…’

Dean watched as Sam demonstrated how the arrows at the top of the screen worked. ‘So you’re not gonna explain this to me?’

Sam shook his head as he stood away. ‘It’s weird.’

‘But I explained how sex worked to you when _you_ asked,’ Dean pointed out.

‘It’s different,’ Sam replied. ‘It’s not rubbing your cock against another and fucking their uh…er…pouch?’ he said, struggling for the right words. ‘You might not like it…’

Dean stared at Sam doubtfully. ‘What’s not to like about sex?’

‘Right. You wanna know? You either fuck him up the ass, or he fucks _you_ up the ass!’ Sam exclaimed in annoyance.

‘You never… Oh.’ Dean laughed uncomfortably and rubbed the back of his neck as he looked away. ‘Well, I guess you did find uh…Goldy-green pretty early.’

‘Jess,’ Sam said quietly. ‘I named her Jess.’

Dean nodded. ‘Jess. But you did. Didn’t have too many partners to explore with.’

‘Nowhere near as many as you,’ Sam replied with a slight laugh.

Dean smiled tentatively. ‘Yeah. So, uh…this gay sex thing sounds like it works the same as us? Just…everything’s on the outside.’

‘I’d say…watch the videos. See what you think. I’ll leave ya’ to it for a while,’ Sam said, scratching his head. ‘Then I’ll set you up with some _Sesame Street_.’

.-.-.-.-.

It was a nice, tourist-oriented restaurant that Balthazar had taken Castiel to. A beautiful view, a familiar menu, and an even more familiar wine list. It may as well have been a chain restaurant. At a small table for two sat Castiel and Balthazar, their dinner finished, and each nursing a glass of wine.

Castiel laughed softly as Balthazar explained how he, too, had been tricked into working for Gabriel. ‘You didn’t even try to fight it?’

‘How could I?! Have you _met_ the producers? Those two brothers are more fucked in the head than you and Gabe,’ Balthazar exclaimed. ‘Fuck. _Lucifer_ is—’

‘Lucifer?’ Castiel asked, cutting off Balthazar’s rant. ‘Lucifer _Arcadia_? Michael. And Lucifer. Arcadia.’

Balthazar slowly nodded. ‘You know them, huh?’

Castiel stared at Balthazar with a stiff smile plastered on his face. ‘Yes,’ he weakly replied. ‘That certainly explains why they uh…like me.’

‘Cas, what’s wrong?’ Balthazar asked, reaching across the table and placing his hand on Castiel’s.

‘Stalemate.’

‘What?’

Castiel met Balthazar’s eyes. ‘It’s nothing. Just…college hijinks I thought I had managed to leave behind.’

‘Like what?’ Balthazar asked as he reached for his drink.

‘Like getting arrested at a strip club.’

Balthazar choked and stared at Castiel in shock. ‘You were arrested?!’

Castiel shrugged and looked away. ‘That night _and_ the night after,’ he admitted.

‘Two nights in a row? What? Wait.’ Balthazar shook his head and laughed. ‘Okay. You got me. So what _really_ happened?’

‘I was arrested with ten others, released after I sobered up, and was arrested again the next night,’ Castiel replied. ‘The second time, I was able to sue the city and never worry about college tuition again.’

Balthazar stared at Castiel in silence. He couldn’t tell if the other man was lying. ‘What…happened?’ he asked haltingly, not quite ready to believe a word that Castiel said.

Castiel stared at his drink for few moments, his stomach clenching. If he told Balthazar what had happened, there was a good chance that Balthazar would tell Gabriel. And if Gabriel found out… Well, that would be just another reason for his brother to insist on keeping him close and protected. He downed the rest of his wine and pulled Balthazar’s glass toward himself before speaking.

‘I was walking home…in drag…when I was assaulted by a group of men,’ he said slowly, running his fingers up and down the stem of the wine glass. ‘I fought back and caused a fair bit of damage by the time the cops showed up. They arrested everyone and did not bother to hide their…opinions of me. They shattered my elbow and dislocated my shoulder, but not before using every derogatory term they knew and a few…colorful threats.’ He paused and smiled bitterly at the wine glass. ‘The group that assaulted me took a plea bargain for acting as witnesses at the trial.’

Balthazar’s mouth hung open as his mind wrapped around what Castiel had just told him. ‘I…I never knew…’

‘Of course not. I’m very careful about who knows about what I did in college,’ Castiel replied.

‘Does Gabriel know?’

Castiel scoffed and shook his head. ‘He worries about me enough as it is. He thinks I’m fragile and incapable of taking care of myself.’

‘Yeah. Wait…drag? “Drag” as in…a skirt, or “drag” as in…the whole…’ Balthazar waved his hand over his face. ‘Glitter and tacky makeup?’

‘I do _not_ wear tacky makeup,’ Castiel insisted, giving Balthazar a half-hearted glare.

‘Okay, okay,’ Balthazar said with a laugh. He lifted his hands in a placating gesture. ‘I’m sure you have great taste in clothes and makeup.  But, really… Why didn’t you ever tell me about this?’

‘I never felt like it was important to our relationship.’

‘Okay, so it never came up, but… Five years, Cas. _Five years_ , and you never felt it was necessary to tell me you were arrested? _Twice_?’

Castiel suck in his lower lip and looked away. He rubbed his hand across his mouth and down his cheek before looking back at Balthazar. ‘More like…seven.’

‘What?!’

‘A couple times it was for possession of pot, but I have a medical license, so those don’t count,’ Castiel explained. He fidgeted in his seat, his eyes darting to Balthazar and away.

‘Pot… What?! Cas! You were never once high while we were dating!’  Balthazar leaned back in his chair, his mind reeling. He would have expected this sort of confession from _Gabriel_ , not Castiel. ‘I know what pot smells like. You never smelled like that.’

‘You never went to the uh…research parties I went to,’ Castiel replied.

‘Research parties… I thought those were actual, boring, _research_ parties,’ Balthazar sputtered.

Castiel offered an apologetic smile and shrug. ‘Hence the drugs.’

‘Oh, my God… You’re… What else aren’t you telling me?’

‘That’s the gist of it.’

‘Castiel,’ Balthazar said warningly.

‘I taught yoga?’ Castiel quickly cast his eyes downward and stared at the table. ‘At least…that’s what I labeled it as on the community board… It was more like I was teaching the Kama Sutra… People… People like a regularly scheduled orgy?’

‘Oh, my God,’ Balthazar whispered, drawing a flinch from Castiel. ‘That video was barely scratching the surface with how kinky you are…’

Castiel nodded jerkily. He jumped when Balthazar gently lifted his chin.

‘Wish I knew when we were still together,’ Balthazar said quietly, giving Castiel a smirk.

‘You don’t…mind?’

Balthazar grinned and leaned over the small table to kiss Castiel. ‘Not at all.’

.-.-.-.-.

Karen had given Sam a book that Gabriel had written a few years ago on Bigfoot. As he read through it, he couldn’t help but be pulled in. Gabriel’s writing was just as enthusiastic and all over the place as he was. He jumped at a loud bang that came from the wall between Sam’s room and the lobby. He looked up to see Dean’s alarmed face.

‘Someone’s probably drunk,’ he said. He sighed as Dean pulled off the headphones he wore. ‘Really. It’s nothing to worry about. Happens all the time.’

‘What if it’s Cas?’ Dean asked as he got up to investigate. He reached the door and cracked it open to find his competition for Castiel’s attention slumped against the opposite wall. He opened the door wider and looked up and down the hallway, finding no sign of Castiel. ‘You okay?’ he asked.

Balthazar’s head jerked up and he stared at Dean in alarm. ‘What? Yeah. ‘m fine… Wasn’ me.’

‘Uh… Where’s Cas?’

Balthazar looked down the hall. ‘He was right here… Cas! Cassie!’

‘Coming!’ Castiel stumbled into the hall, carrying a shopping bag. He caught sight of Dean and grinned brightly. ‘Hello, Dean,’ he said as he leaned against Balthazar.

Dean’s stomach dropped as Balthazar pulled Castiel closer for a deep kiss. ‘I-I guess your uh…date…went well?’

‘I’ll say,’ Castiel moaned. ‘I have whipped cream and a list of my favorite porns,’ he said as he lifted his shopping bag. He groaned as Balthazar nipped at his neck. ‘H-here…’ He held out the bag to Dean.

Dean reluctantly took the bag and looked away as Castiel pulled at Balthazar’s shirt. He thought he would have been able to handle seeing Castiel and Balthazar together. Apparently, he had been wrong. After all the times of seeing his other potential mates with another, this was the first time he had actually felt depressed about it.

‘Mmm… More whiskey…’

Balthazar scooped Castiel up and grinned at Dean as Castiel giggled. ‘Don’t mind us.’

‘Should you guys really be doing this?’ Dean asked quietly. He elaborated at the pair of confused stares he received. ‘I mean… You’re both obviously drunk. You should be doing this…’ He struggled for the word Sam had used before. ‘Uh…sober?’

Castiel tilted his head curiously. ‘Well, if I didn’t get Bally drunk, I wouldn’t be able to invite _you_ to our little party,’ he said slowly.

Balthazar spluttered. ‘W-what?! No! He’s _not_ invited!’

Castiel silenced Balthazar with a kiss. He left smaller kisses as he pulled away slightly. ‘Not invited?’

‘Not invited,’ Balthazar confirmed.

Castiel glanced at Balthazar before looking back at Dean. ‘Well? Are _you_ game?’

Dean looked between the two drunk men and shrugged. ‘I’d love to. Really. But I don’t think I should…’

‘Why not?’ Castiel pouted.

‘Well… As I understand it, you’re not really in your right mind, and uh…’ Dean smiled as he leaned against the doorjamb. ‘Besides, I think you have this habit of forgetting. And I wouldn’t want you to forget your first time with me. Since you’ve already forgotten our first kiss.’

Castiel maneuvered himself out of Balthazar’s arms and swayed before leaning against the wall. He glanced between the two men. ‘Well…I’m heading to my old room if anyone wants to join me,’ he said as he turned and headed to the stairs at the end of the hall.

Dean and Balthazar watched Castiel disappear around the corner before facing each other.

Balthazar shook his finger at Dean. ‘You’re _not_ invited,’ he said and headed down the hall to follow Castiel.

Dean sighed and looked down at the bag he still held. Peeking inside, he found a can of whipped cream and a piece of notebook paper. He pulled out the paper and felt proud of himself for being able to make out a couple words. ‘Cat…soo-it…feh…fee…ver… Right. Sammy!’

.-.-.-.-.

A large pile of camera and audio equipment sat on Castiel’s old bed. He looked from the bed to Gabriel, who offered an uncertain smile from his spot on his own bed.

‘Uh… How was your date?’ Gabriel asked, pulling his legs to let Castiel sit down.

‘I don’t know,’ Castiel moaned helplessly as he collapsed onto the bed. ‘I can’t tell if I’m digging a deeper grave or if I’m trying to start a threesome…’ A soft knock resounded, and Castiel pulled a sheet over his head. ‘Whoever it is, the invitation’s been revoked. Unless they’re both there, then… Well, I’ll think about it, but I have to watch them make out first.’

‘What?’

‘I’m not as drunk as they think I am…’

‘Right… And if there’s just one?’ Gabriel asked as he got up, not sure what Castiel was getting at.

‘Then whoever’s _not_ there, gets a point,’ Castiel replied. ‘If I’m gonna whore myself out, I’m gonna do it properly.’

Gabriel nodded and cracked open the door. ‘Hey, Bal… Uh…just you?’

Balthazar grinned and nodded. ‘Just me.’

‘Uh-huh… I regret to inform you that Dean has just scored a point.’

‘I’m sorry?’ Balthazar’s smile slipped. ‘Wait. Has this just become some sort of _test_?’

Gabriel grimaced as he shrugged. ‘I’m just the messenger.’

Balthazar ran his hand through his hair as he shook his head. ‘That little fucker… Bet he banged into that wall on purpose…’

‘Cas can be a little manipulative,’ Gabriel admitted.

‘So can you,’ Balthazar pointed out, turning away. ‘This may be a minor setback, but I haven’t given up.’

Gabriel sighed and quietly closed the door. He turned to find Castiel sitting up in the bed. ‘Why didn’t you just take him back to your place?’ he asked.

‘I didn’t want to sleep with him,’ Castiel replied. ‘I mean…I _do_ , but… Look, I won’t say I’m not easy, because I am.’

‘No, you’re not,’ Gabriel scoffed.

Castiel stared at Gabriel for a minute, his stomach churning at the thought of just coming clean with everything. He decided against it. There was no need to break his brother just yet. He settled on something a little more gentle. ‘I never had a roommate in college,’ he said slowly.

Gabriel laughed as he sat next to Castiel. ‘Sure, you didn’t. Cas, I _met_ your roomies!’

‘And you never thought it was strange that I had a different roommate _every_ time you visited?’

‘Not every…’ Gabriel trailed off, recalling just how many supposed roommates he had met. The number kept going up. ‘You slut!’ he shouted, throwing one of his pillows at Castiel.

‘You’re one to talk!’ Castiel shouted back, hitting Gabriel with the pillow.

‘I never _lied_ about it!’ Gabriel grabbed the other pillow and slammed it into Castiel’s side.

‘You never asked! You never asked me how I was doing! _What_ I was doing!’ Castiel followed Gabriel as his brother jumped off the bed and headed toward the other.

‘Don’t you mean “ _who_ ”?!’ Gabriel barked with laughter at Castiel’s undignified expression before a pillow was pushed into his face. He fell backward onto the pile of equipment with a loud squawk. He kicked out as Castiel straddled him, repeatedly bringing the pillow down onto his head.

‘You’re just jealous!’ Castiel gasped as the pillow was wrenched from his hands. He lost his balance as Gabriel twisted beneath him and soon found himself beneath his brother. He squirmed and immediately froze as he felt something beneath him break and push into his back.

Gabriel frowned down at his brother. ‘Giving up?’ he asked, disappointed.

‘I think we broke something…’

Gabriel paled as he quickly got up. He winced at the crunching sounds as Castiel pushed himself up. ‘Shit, shit, shit… Please tell me it’s something we can fix…’

Castiel rubbed his back and hissed, pulling his hand away. ‘It’s still in there.’

Gabriel ushered Castiel back to the other bed. Specks of blood were already staining his brother’s shirt around a small tear. He lifted the shirt and hissed at the sight that greeted him. His eyes were drawn downward to the tattoo that was peeking over the edge of Castiel’s jeans. How did his baby brother manage to keep so many things secret from him?

‘How bad is it?’ Castiel asked.

‘Bad news, you lost a shirt…’ He looked over to the other bed and the pile of equipment. ‘Good news…uh…you won’t have to worry about your love triangle because you’ll be dead.’

‘What did we break?’ Castiel asked. He cried out as Gabriel pulled what he thought was a large chunk of glass from his back.

‘Whatever this goes to,’ Gabriel replied, holding a broken piece of plastic in front of Castiel’s face.

Castiel stared in dismay at the jagged plastic coated in his blood. He blinked as his brows furrowed. He recognized it as being part of the battery cover to some sort of electronic device. He took it, fully intending on letting Gabriel believe they had broken something irreplaceable. ‘Shit.’


	17. Chapter 17

Gabriel tentatively knocked on Sam’s door. He rocked back and forth on his feet as he waited. The door opened, revealing Dean. ‘Hey…uh…Dean-o. Sam in there?’

Dean leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms over his chest. ‘And what do you want with my brother?’

‘What do you want with _my_ brother?’ Gabriel countered, pulling up to his full height, which, when compared to Dean, wasn’t very much.

‘To lick whipped cream off his chest,’ Dean easily replied.

Gabriel’s mouth dropped open. He didn’t have time to fully process what Dean had said because the taller man was being pushed out of the way by Sam.

‘Oh, my God, Dean!’ Sam hissed as he shoved Dean aside. He stepped into the hall and shut the door behind himself. ‘I am _so_ sorry about that! Dean’s…not exactly the best with people…’

‘Yeah… Kinda like Cas,’ Gabriel replied. ‘Which is why I’m here… Uh… Can I get that first aid kit?’

‘What happened?’ Sam asked, turning down the hall toward to the dimly lit lobby.

‘I found out my brother’s a bigger slut than I thought,’ Gabriel bitterly replied. ‘ _I’m_ supposed to be the promiscuous one! He’s… Ugh. Y’know what? Maybe _your_ stupid brother’s perfect for _my_ stupid brother. They were made for each other.’

Sam laughed and made his way behind the main desk. He bent down and pulled out the small first aid kit. ‘What do you need?’

‘Disinfectant…Band-aids…stitches?’ Gabriel said with a shrug. ‘He’s got this big gash on his back.’

‘Does he need a doctor?!’

Gabriel shook his head. ‘I took a picture and showed him. He says he’ll be fine with a butterfly bandage,’ he explained. ‘I would ask Samandriel for our own stash, but I really don’t want anyone knowing that we broke something until morning. Or a week from now. Or ever.’

‘You don’t know much about the equipment, huh?’ Sam asked with a teasing grin.

‘Not really,’ Gabriel admitted. ‘That whole techy side makes no sense to me. You get more than one wire coming out of a thing, and I get confused.’

Sam nodded in sympathy. ‘Yeah, it took me a while to get it, too. But I’m pretty good at computers, now.’

‘Just an all-around handyman, huh?’ Gabriel said with a suggestive wink. ‘I have a few things that you could be _handy_ with… Me ‘n’ Dean could switch sleeping arrangements.’

‘I’m sure Dean would love that,’ Sam muttered. ‘But, no. I kinda wanna keep an eye on him for at least _one_ night.’

Gabriel sighed and nodded, taking the first aid kit from Sam. ‘Well, thanks. Maybe tomorrow night? Wait, no… We’re filming late. Shit. Uh… God, I really don’t wanna have to have you schedule a date through Samandriel…’

‘It’s _okay_ ,’ Sam said with a laugh. ‘You’re here for a while. There’ll be plenty of time.’

Gabriel whined as Sam gave him a gentle push down the hallway. ‘This is gonna sound pathetic, but… I really like you. You’re hot, smart, _amazing_ in bed, and you don’t just laugh at me for the unicorn thing.’

‘Well…you never know just what’s out there,’ Sam carefully replied. ‘You’re just more enthusiastic than most.’

‘See? You don’t just shoot me down! Can I just take you with me? Ever thought about show business? I’m sure I could justify a gopher on the budget,’ Gabriel said, turning to face Sam. ‘Pretty sure I can at least match whatever you’re getting here.’

Sam stopped and stared at Gabriel. ‘W-what? Are you…?’

‘I’m asking you to leave with me,’ Gabriel said, biting his lip.

Sam sighed and looked away. ‘Look, I’m flattered. Really. But…we barely know each other. Just…hold off on that thought until…until we know more about each other,’ he said. It wasn’t that he wasn’t willing to run off with the shorter man—when his mate had joined his colony, they had chosen to stay together within three days.

He really hated using the human excuse, but he couldn’t help reminding himself just what Gabriel did for a living. Charlie may have perfected the art of living under the radar, but Sam still had the occasional slip up. And then there was his brother to worry about. And not just _his_ brother, but Gabriel’s as well. It would be a lot less difficult if he knew that he could trust Gabriel. Maybe Charlie would have some input on the matter.

‘Y-yeah. Sorry. I get it,’ Gabriel quietly replied, clutching the first aid kit tightly. ‘I didn’t mean to scare you off.’

‘I’m not scared off. I…’ Sam broke off with a frustrated sigh. ‘I’m actually more than willing to run off with you,’ he admitted. ‘But there are a few things I need to figure out first.’

Gabriel gave Sam a hopeful smile. ‘So I’m not being shot down?’

‘It’ll probably be _you_ that shoots _me_ down…’

‘Not with those arms, I won’t,’ Gabriel said, leering. ‘Seriously, I would break things just to watch you fix ‘em.’

‘Yeah… I’m actually used to that,’ Sam replied, rolling his eyes. ‘Karen’s offered my help out on more than one occasion.’

‘Then you wouldn’t mind if I pulled up a chair to watch?’

Sam laughed and shook his head. ‘Shouldn’t you be patching someone up?’ he reminded.

‘He’ll keep.’ Gabriel leaned forward and stood on the balls of his feet. ‘But first, I want a good night kiss.’

Sam stroked Gabriel’s cheek and leaned down, lightly brushing Gabriel’s lips with his own. ‘See you at breakfast,’ he whispered before fully kissing Gabriel.

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel groggily stepped into hallway, pushing a struggling Gabriel in front of him. ‘Come on. You can’t avoid them forever,’ he said, guiding them down the stairwell.

‘We don’t have to tell anyone,’ Gabriel grumbled in reply. ‘Yet. Just…let everyone think that everything’s okay for now. You could put on a new shirt…’

‘But I like this shirt. The front’s still okay.’

‘But you could put on one of _my_ shirts,’ Gabriel said. ‘A nice, clean, _tight_ shirt that I’m sure Dean would love! Bal, too.’

Castiel’s steps faltered. ‘I need to stop drinking. I don’t think right when I’m drunk.’

‘ _I_ think you’re doing exactly what you want,’ Gabriel pointed out. ‘Especially now that I know about your _roommates_.’

They made it to the dining room, and all eyes fell on them. Castiel stared back impassively, and Gabriel ducked his head in guilt.

‘What were you guys doing last night?’ Charlie asked. ‘I could hear you all the way in _my_ room!’

‘Breaking things,’ Castiel replied as Gabriel’s shoulders slumped forward in guilt.

A collective groan drifted through the small film crew.

‘Please don’t tell me it was a camera,’ Balthazar said. ‘Those are _expensive_.’

‘I don’t know,’ Gabriel miserably replied. ‘I found a piece of plastic in Cas’s back, and I was too depressed to look for what it goes to.’

‘What?! Are you okay?’ Balthazar asked, getting up from the table. He made his way over to Castiel and forced him to turn around. He saw the blood-stained tear and gasped.

‘I’m fine,’ Castiel insisted, not letting on that he was enjoying Balthazar’s concern. ‘Wouldn’t be the first scratch I’ve gotten.’

Balthazar raised Castiel’s shirt, and several gasps were heard as everyone else gathered around to see. ‘That’s not a scratch, that’s a _gouge_! _And_ it’s covered in dry blood!’

Castiel reached back and brushed off some of the crusted blood. ‘That’ll wipe off…’

A commotion came from the kitchen and Dean was pushed backwards through the door. ‘Just one more slice!’ he pleaded.

‘No! Pie is not breakfast,’ Sam said, forcing Dean away.

‘Breakfast is a human concept,’ Dean pointed out, crossing his arms. ‘Ever hear of a fish discriminating against what it eats because of the _time_?’

Sam’s eyes flicked between Dean and the group of people on the other side of the room. He lowered his voice before speaking again. ‘Dean, please… Just _try_ to fit in?’

Dean huffed and relented. He turned and caught Castiel’s gaze. Smiling brightly, he made his way over. ‘Morning! What’s everyone lookin’ at?’

Castiel pushed his shirt down. ‘Good morning,’ he replied. ‘It’s just a scratch. Nothing big.’

‘Pretty big scratch,’ Balthazar pointed out.

‘Are you okay?’ Dean asked. ‘Can I see? Er…I get it if you don’t wanna show me.’

‘Oh, uh… Sure.’ Castiel turned and slowly lifted his shirt and showed Dean the scratch.

‘Oh, that should heal up no problem,’ Dean said, relieved. ‘Shouldn’t even scar if you treat it right. I know a good…uh…thing. What’s that word for something you rub on things to make them better?’

‘Ointment?’ Castiel offered.

‘Your cock?’ Balthazar said sarcastically, earning a few sniggers.

‘I think Cas is right, but I like _your_ answer, too,’ Dean said brightly. He kept his eyes on Castiel’s as he leaned forward. ‘Either way, I’d be more than happy to help you rub it in.’

Balthazar narrowed his eyes at Dean. ‘I’m sure you would…’

Castiel looked between the two, not entirely certain of what he had managed to get himself into. As romantic and fun as having two lovers chase after him had sounded in his head, seeing it play out was a little more frustrating than he had imagined. ‘Well, I’d love to stay and chat, but I have a cat to feed,’ he said, taking a step back.

‘Wait, we’ll need you tomorrow for filming, Cas,’ Samandriel said. ‘I know you wanna film on your own, but having a few shots of you swimming would be great.’

‘And suiting up,’ Charlie added, jabbing her elbow into Samandriel’s side.

‘Oh! Yeah. That, too!’ he agreed. ‘And a shot of you pulling your goggles off and shaking out your hair.’

Charlie and Samandriel grinned at the baffled expressions they were receiving, along with an agreeing nod from Dean.

Castiel blushed lightly as he took another step back. ‘I…suppose I can do that,’ he eventually replied.

‘Great! Bright and early. Eight okay with you?’ Samandriel asked, pulling out his notebook.

Castiel nodded as Samandriel jotted down the time and a few notes on the scenes that would be shot. ‘Then I guess I’ll see everyone tomorrow.’

‘You’re not coming back?’ Anna asked as she headed back to the table and sat down.

Castiel shook his head. ‘There’s no point. You’re filming interviews, and I’m not needed for that, and I…’ He quickly looked between Balthazar and Dean. ‘I uh…need some time alone to…figure things out.’

Balthazar nodded and lightly touched Castiel’s shoulder. ‘Take all the time you need,’ he said.

Dean frowned as Castiel leaned into Balthazar’s touch. ‘Well, I’ll be helpin’ out Benny… So…’

Castiel smiled and face Dean. ‘Oh, so you’re going to see him soon. Tell him I want to aim for Monday to do some filming.’

‘Yeah, I’ll let him know,’ Dean replied with a shrug. Balthazar’s hand had yet to leave Castiel’s shoulder, and Dean’s eyes were glued to it in dismay. He should have known that Castiel would have gone back to his old mate. He was back to being the fun fling. The one others went to when they wanted to have some cheap fun before settling down. He didn’t even get a chance to _have_ his fun with Castiel. After watching several pornos, he was confident that he could have figured it out with minimal embarrassment. He should have just gone for it. He was already past the prime age for choosing a mate… He was pulled out of his funk when Castiel stepped away from Balthazar and closer to Dean.

‘I’d like it if you were there, too,’ Castiel said before placing his hand behind Dean’s neck and pulling him down for a soft kiss. He smiled as he pulled back. ‘You’re so…different.’

‘That’s good, I hope,’ Dean said, keeping the sudden distress out of his voice.

‘So far,’ Castiel replied. He placed a kiss on Dean’s cheek then whispered ‘I didn’t sleep with him.’ His breath caught and his heart skipped a beat at the warm, hopeful smile Dean gave him.

As Castiel left the small hotel, his thoughts drifted between Balthazar and Dean. He didn’t know how he felt about his ex anymore. He had grown used to avoiding him and being given the cold shoulder. He loved that they were speaking again, and that he knew _why_ Balthazar seemed to have hated him for so long, but now… Now, he didn’t know what to do.

He loved receiving Balthazar’s attention. Loved that it was almost as if nothing had happened. But he had already moved on. Having the old thrill back was more than nice. The easy way he got on with Balthazar. Balthazar’s hands roaming over his body… Before they had reached the hotel last night, they had been distracted by each other on several occasions. More than once, Balthazar’s hand had found its way into Castiel’s jeans.

Castiel blushed as he recalled how happily he had moaned for more, and Balthazar had willingly obliged. He could feel his blush grow deeper as he passed a tree he remembered being pushed up against. As he continued on his way, he wondered why he hadn’t brought Balthazar to his bungalow. And then he remembered Dean’s face from earlier and knew exactly why.

He didn’t want to betray Dean’s trust. As much as he thought Dean would be more than understanding, he couldn’t bring himself to sleep with Balthazar.

And seeing Dean squirm and back off…but still hopeful… Still coming back for another try… Castiel couldn’t place why, but it was as if Dean was used to giving up. And yet, he kept trying.

Castiel reached the dock where the ferry to the Four Seasons regularly stopped. He sat on a bench and waited as he mulled over his possible options.

He could easily get back with Balthazar and pick up where they had left off. Hell, he still had the ring he had bought. Granted, it was probably covered in algae from its time resting at the bottom of his fish tank. But he would have to let Dean go. And soon. It wasn’t fair to Dean to string him along.

On the other hand, Balthazar had just assumed that Castiel had cheated on him. He had never even _said_ what was wrong. Everything could have been explained and avoided right from the get-go had Balthazar not been so rash. And he might have been trying _now_ , but the distrust was still there. The look he received after kissing Dean, which was quickly shifted and directed solely at Dean… The dark look in Balthazar’s eyes when he had mentioned again that Crowley would be coming to Bora Bora for a while…

The sound of a motor interrupted his thoughts, and he stood with a heavy sigh. The trust between him and Balthazar was too fractured. And what did he have with Dean? A night spent together and a few kisses. It wasn’t as if he could whisk Dean away. His fantasies never played out right. He learned that the hard way when he had first brought Muffin home to meet Balthazar.

Instead of the instant purrs and affection Castiel had received, Balthazar had received a hiss and claws. For the first few days, Balthazar had called the cat ‘Hell Spawn’ and ‘Demon Cat.’ Castiel had put an end to that when he found the tiny kitten curled up in a kitchen cabinet on top of a muffin tin. He put his foot down, insisting that the cat would be called Muffin or Cupcake. Balthazar had relented, and, a year later, Castiel and Muffin had been kicked out of the apartment.

He had imagined his work with the whale and dolphin recordings would break new ground, but just as he felt like he was beginning to make some progress, Gabriel swooped in and abducted him, giving Naomi the excuse she needed to boot him off the team.

Now, he could just imagine finding Gabriel’s sea serpent, documenting the new species and its habits, riding out his fame, and enjoying all his spare time in Dean’s arms. He could also imagine just how it would all go wrong, too. The sea serpent would turn out to be a very clever hoax, he would forever be a laughing stock for being on Gabriel’s show, and Dean would find some pretty, young thing to chase after. He may not have reached forty yet, but he was well on his way. And Dean’s attention did seem to wander. Especially to the bare legs of young women.

He came to the conclusion that he was screwed no matter what, so he may as well enjoy the ride while it lasted. If, by some miracle, something worked out in his favor, then he’d grasp it and never let go.


	18. Chapter 18

Benny was enjoying himself, lounging in his foldup lawn chair and fishing quietly. He jumped when he heard a loud thump come from the stern. He sighed wearily as he set his fishing pole aside and turned to look at Dean. ‘I thought you had someone else to bother,’ he said. ‘Or did it turn sour?’

‘No, it’s going great!’ Dean happily replied. ‘But I think I need to up my game.’ He looked around himself until he saw Benny’s toolbox. He dragged himself closer as Benny watched.

‘What are you after?’ Benny asked, not quite wanting to get up, and not quite trusting the merman to his own devices.

Dean reached the toolbox and propped it open. He dug around the various tools, shaking his head. ‘Um… A thingy. A thingy to pull on stuff. ‘Cuz my teeth aren’t cuttin’ it…’ He pulled out a pair of pliers and gave them an experimental squeeze. ‘These’ll work!’

Benny watched in horrified fascination as Dean pulled the rest of his tail from the water and began pulling at a scale near his tailfin. ‘Dean, what are you…?’

‘It’s for Cas,’ Dean grunted as he wrenched the scale free. He licked off the small amount of blood and took it between his fingers. The scale had the lighter shade of green from Dean’s tail and glinted with a light violet in the sun. He pulled out a scale of the darker shade then looked over to Benny, smiling. ‘You got something I can poke a hole with?’

‘Why?’ Benny asked as he got up.

‘So Cas can wear them. Like a…uh…a thing,’ Dean replied, miming a necklace. ‘I saw a bunch of humans wearing them.’

‘I guess you’ll be needing something to tie it with, too,’ Benny said as he bent down and pulled a small drill bit from the toolbox.

‘Oh, I got that covered. Sam gave me a leather…cord,’ Dean said, waving his hand. ‘I just wanted a pull-thing and hole-thing.’

‘And your brother didn’t have anything that would work?’ Benny asked as Dean handed him the scales. He was surprised at how tough the scales actually were, and he had a little trouble making the holes.

Dean felt the tingling in his tail and scooted back to the edge of the boat, quickly dunking his tail back into the water. ‘I don’t really want Sam to know,’ he admitted, looking away. ‘He thinks I’m being…what did he say…impulsive.’

Benny nodded. ‘I can see that,’ he said as he handed to scales back to Dean.

Dean sighed as he stared out at the horizon. ‘This’d just make him more pissed off,’ he said, and he held the scale up. ‘It’s…giving Cas a piece of myself. It’s kinda a big deal to us, but…’ He shrugged as he looked down. ‘I don’t think it really applies to humans as much? So I don’t think it matters.’

Benny frowned as he sat on the edge of the boat next to Dean. ‘I’m sure it would matter if knew what it was you were givin’ him. But, Dean… Be careful. There’s no tellin’ what he’s gonna do when he finds out.’

Dean nodded as he fiddled with his scales. ‘Yeah… Oh! Do you have a…a bag. Or a box. That can go in water?’ he asked.

‘A canvas bag or a Zip-Lock…yes. Why?’ Benny uncertainly replied.

‘Awesome. I need it so I can get some things.’

‘What things?’

Dean stared at Benny for a minute. ‘Uh… One’s a thingy that’s uh…’ He tried to show the shape with his hands. ‘Like a… Just…things. Please?’ He shrugged helplessly as Benny laughed.

‘I’ll give ya’ the bag. Don’t worry,’ Benny replied as he stood up. ‘Are ya’ helpin’ out today or just doin’ your own thing?’

‘I got the time, so I’m helping,’ Dean replied, dropping into the water. He resurfaced and pulled his torso back onto the boat. He held the scales out to Benny. ‘Keep these safe in the meantime.’

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel yawned as he watched Anna carefully arrange the branches of trees. She would wrap a bit of string to a branch then tug it into position before tying the other end off. As much as he had argued against altering the scenery, he had to admit that the small clearing looked even better. Light poured in from above where Anna had cleared a makeshift spotlight, and the branches she was currently working on framed a small waterfall in the background.

He looked over as a soft crunching grew louder. Samandriel appeared, followed closely by a young man.

‘So we’ll just need you to stand on the X over there,’ Samandriel said, pointing at a paper with a large, black X that lay on the ground, a small rock keeping it in place. ‘Start with who you are, and just tell me what you saw. Try not to look at the camera, and don’t be worried about making mistakes. Take your time, and try to be as detailed as possible. Charlie will set you up with a mic.’

The young man nodded and went to stand on the paper. He smiled at the others gathered in the clearing as Charlie clipped a small microphone to the collar of his shirt. She handed him the recorder and had him place it in his back pocket.

Balthazar waved his hand as Charlie left the scene with a nod. ‘Rolling. Anytime you’re ready,’ he said.

The young man nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but stopped as Balthazar pointed in Samandriel’s direction. He gave an apologetic grin and faced Samandriel. ‘My name is Rahiti Teata… My father and I fish…’

Gabriel half-listened as Rahiti spoke, paying more attention when the man spoke of the mystery creature he had seen.

‘…and then we turned, and there was a long, spiked fin that broke the water,’ Rahiti said, moving his hands as spoke. ‘The monster must have been ten meters long. And the fin was very dark. Black, I think.’

‘Black or just very dark?’ Gabriel asked.

Rahiti looked at Gabriel, then back at Samandriel when Gabriel pointed at the PA. ‘I suppose it could have been a dark blue, but it certainly looked black. It is hard to recall… It turned on us. A dark shadow under the water… It charged our small boat.’

Gabriel rolled his eyes. He caught the change in tone. The man believed his story. At least, the parts he wasn’t exaggerating. He turned to Charlie and nodded his head toward the path. She rolled her eyes as she shook her head before waving him off.

He quietly snuck away and down the path, making a beeline for the Singer Hotel. Maybe he could find Sam and drag him away for a personal interview. When he reached the hotel, it didn’t take him long to find the taller man.

Sam was leaning over one of the dining room tables, preparing it for the next meal. He set down the last glass he had been carrying and shot up straight as a hand sharply met his ass. He let out a high pitched chirp and spun to meet Gabriel’s amused stare. ‘G-Gabriel! What…?!’

Gabriel tilted his head slightly. ‘That’s the first time I’ve gotten _that_ noise,’ he said. He shrugged as he grabbed Sam’s hand. ‘C’mon, Sam! I’ve got some free time. We should go for a walk! Maybe find a secluded thicket or something.’

Sam resisted the pull as he gathered his thoughts. ‘But I have a lot to do here,’ he argued.

‘Go have some fun,’ Karen shouted from the kitchen. ‘It’ll keep!’

Sam frowned over his shoulder at the partially open kitchen door. ‘Thanks,’ he dryly replied. He turned back to Gabriel. ‘I thought you were doing interviews?’

‘We are, but uh… Well, once you’ve heard one, you’ve heard them all,’ Gabriel said. ‘And I’ve heard plenty…’

‘Have you ever been the interviewee?’ Sam asked as he let Gabriel led him out of the hotel.

‘Yeah, but only on myths and legends,’ Gabriel replied. ‘I’m an expert in my field.’ He paused and looked up at Sam. ‘And it _is_ a field. A real one. I’m legit.’

Sam laughed as he nodded. ‘So you’ve never…seen anything for yourself?’ he asked.

Gabriel shrugged, looking up at the sky. ‘Well…’ He shook his head, despite the fact that his photograph of the sea serpent was sitting on his nightstand. ‘No. Nothing yet. But I’m hoping!’ he said with a big smile.

‘I’m sure you’ll find something,’ Sam said. Gabriel grinned up at him, and he leaned down to kiss the shorter man.

The afternoon was spent with Sam showing Gabriel some of his favorite spots. Small waterfalls, some secluded ponds, and a few of the natural alcoves along the coastline. He ended the tour behind the hotel.

Gabriel huffed and dragged his feet as they reached the picnic table and benches that sat beneath a tree just outside the back door. He fell against the tree and gave Sam a reassuring grin. ‘I’m good,’ he gasped. ‘Just…just might be a little…whew. A little out of shape.’

‘You didn’t seem that bad the other night,’ Sam teased.

‘The other night, I wasn’t hiking up and down mountains!’ Gabriel sank to the ground as he caught his breath. ‘And it wasn’t this humid, either…’ He pulled at his shirt and made a disgusted face as the fabric clung to his chest. ‘God, I’m so sweaty.’

‘Yeah, you should probably wash up before dinner,’ Sam said.

Gabriel leered up at Sam. ‘That’s a good idea. How’s about you join me? I scrub your back, you scrub mine? Maybe a few other things…?’

Sam sat down at the picnic table and leaned his head on his hand. He wanted to take Gabriel up on his offer. He _really_ wanted to. He missed being in the water with another. Having his fins lightly stroked as he floated leisurely. Even if the confinement of a bathtub was a far cry from the ocean, it was still better than nothing. ‘Maybe some other time,’ he said. He sighed at the disappointed look he received. ‘But I’d be more than happy to spend the night with you.’

‘I suppose that works, too,’ Gabriel relented. He looked down at his lap and bit his lip as he thought. ‘Not to seem like I’m pushing the subject, but uh…I think you’d be great at scouting locations. Some of those places you showed me? Straight out of a movie or something!’

Sam laughed and moved so that he was leaned back against the table. ‘That’s just the island. Nothing to do with me.’

‘Don’t sell yourself short! You took me on the most scenic routes possible!’ Gabriel exclaimed. ‘We coulda gone through a village or a…a more developed path. Woulda been quicker.’

‘And easier for you?’

‘Hey. Just ‘cuz I’m outta shape doesn’t mean I’m old. My knees only act up in the cold,’ Gabriel said defensively.

‘You’re not that old,’ Sam replied.

‘Old enough to be the father of some of the girls that mail me their panties,’ Gabriel grumbled. ‘I swear, best part about this show is that I finally get someone else to go through my fanmail and be disgusted on my behalf.’

‘Then I guess I won’t be sending you any fanmail,’ Sam said as he slid off the bench and settled next to Gabriel.

‘Well, if _you’re_ sending it, you can just hand deliver it.’ Gabriel moaned quietly as Sam’s hand lightly touched his knee and moved up his thigh. ‘Mm… You’re definitely spending the night with me…’

Sam chuckled and leaned in to kiss Gabriel. He pulled up short as he felt a raindrop hit his head. He quickly stood and pulled Gabriel up.

‘Huh? Wait, what are… Where are we going?’ Gabriel whined. Sam’s smile did little to put him at ease. He was quickly led inside and turned in time to see the few scattered raindrops turn into a heavy drizzle. ‘What’s wrong, Sammy? Don’t like being caught in the rain?’

‘Not really,’ Sam replied distractedly. He hoped Dean and Charlie were all right.

‘Not without a piña colada, at least!’ Charlie said from behind the pair. She grinned at Sam’s relieved expression.

.-.-.-.-.

The rain didn’t last long, and the sun was setting by the time Benny pulled his boat up to a dock near the Four Seasons. ‘This one? Are you sure?’ he asked. He turned to find Dean pulling on his shoes. They had stopped near a secluded area where Dean had hidden his clothing. Fortunately, the rain hadn’t gotten to them.

Dean stood and picked up a light, plaid shirt from the bag of clothes that Benny had gotten him. ‘Yep. Big uh…building. Hotel. Why do you guys live in such big places, anyway?’

‘Hotels aren’t homes, they’re… Never mind,’ Benny said, looking away. ‘If this guy’s staying here, then I think he might be a little out of your league.’

‘Only mermaids are out of my league,’ Dean said bitterly. He pulled the shirt on over his t-shirt and grinned, holding out his arms. ‘I saw this style on a TV show. How’s it look?’

Benny looked over Dean. ‘You look good,’ he admitted. ‘If this little scheme of yours doesn’t work, you know where to find me.’

Dean nodded as he picked up a cardboard box from on top of a barrel. He popped it open and tossed a sealed bag of green muck into it. Suddenly, he didn’t feel quite so confident. ‘I’m pretty sure I read the situation right… I think. I mean, what else could he want?’

Benny looked from Dean to the pizza box he had scrounged up for the merman. ‘I’m sure you’ll find out straight away.’

Dean disembarked and set off down the dock toward the bungalows, almost-empty box in hand. He was pretty sure that this was what Castiel wanted. Who wouldn’t want to fool around and pretend at the same time? And from the list of pornos that Castiel had given him, Dean had a pretty good idea of what Castiel was in to.

He reached Castiel’s bungalow and took a deep breath. He knocked on the door like Sam had taught him and held his breath as he waited. He frowned when there was no answer. Light was coming from the window, and he could hear the television. He knocked again, a little harder this time.

The door finally opened, revealing Castiel. His t-shirt and boxers were wrinkled and his hair stuck out in all directions. He squinted at Dean in confusion. ‘Dean? What are you doing here?’

Dean grinned as he held up the pizza box. ‘Got your order right here. One meat pizza. _Extra sausage_ ,’ he said, winking.

Castiel’s eyes went wide and his cheeks turned bright red just before he slammed the door.

Dean blinked in shock as a numbness overtook him. He didn’t know what he was expecting, but hadn’t been expecting that. He shuffled his feet as he looked around, not sure of what he should do or where to go. He turned around, figuring that he would just swim back to the ocean.

There was a soft cough from behind him, and he looked over his shoulder.

Castiel had the door partially open and was grinning nervously. His eyes darted to and from Dean, and he was blushing furiously. ‘Um… Yes. Uh…yes. I-I ordered that. S-sorry. Had to put the kid to bed,’ he stuttered. He tightened his grip on the door as Dean faced him with a bright grin.

‘Well, then. Where do you want me to _put it_?’ Dean said gruffly as he came closer. He gasped as he was yanked into the bungalow.

Castiel slammed the door shut and leaned against it, looking Dean up and down. ‘So, Pizza Man, how much do I owe you?’

Dean barely maintained his balance from the sudden movement. He met Castiel’s hungry gaze, and his stomach flipped. ‘Before or after my _tip_?’

‘Unfortunately,’ Castiel said as he pushed off the door and approached Dean, ‘I don’t have any money… Maybe we could,’ he ran his hands along Dean’s chest and settled them on top of the pizza box, ‘work something out?’

‘I don’t know,’ Dean replied, leaning forward so that his lips were barely an inch from Castiel’s. ‘What have you got to offer?’

Castiel took the box from Dean and tossed it aside before grabbing the collar of Dean’s shirt and pulling him in for a deep kiss. He moaned loudly as Dean’s hands roamed over his body. ‘Oh, God…’

Dean gave Castiel’s ass a squeeze. ‘Can’t wait to get you outta these clothes,’ he said quietly.

Castiel nodded in agreement and tugged Dean along to the bedroom. They fell onto the bed and Castiel pushed Dean down into the sheets as he crawled on top, kissing every inch of skin he could reach. He let Dean sit up to pull off his shirts, and he struggled to get out of his own as Dean assaulted his nipples with small licks and nips. He threw the shirt aside and pushed Dean back down, kissing his way down Dean’s chest and stomach.

Dean breathed heavily as Castiel worked to undo his belt and jeans.  He tilted his hips up and moaned at the sensation of his jeans and boxers being pulled around his knees. Nothing happened next, and he looked to find Castiel staring at the large scar on his leg. He sagged as Castiel’s head tilted while staring. He was back in familiar territory. The smaller scar near the end of his tail was bad enough, but it was the one that now held Castiel’s attention that warded off potential mates. They would stare for a while then find a way to avoid touching it, as if it were contagious.

His eyes widened as Castiel leaned down and licked the length of the scar. He let his head fall back as Castiel’s tongue continued past the scar and up to his hip where Castiel paused again. ‘Don’t stop,’ Dean begged.

Castiel glanced up and back down at Dean’s hip. He busied himself with kissing his way from Dean’s left hip to his right, examining the skin as he went. There was subtle shift in color. It was too jagged to be a tan line, and there were other, darker, shifts in color that Castiel had noticed along the length of Dean’s legs and large patches of light freckles. Dean moaned his name, pulling Castiel from his thoughts.

Castiel crawled up to give Dean a quick kiss. ‘Lose the shoes,’ he said before rolling off.

Dean sat up and obediently removed his shoes as he watched Castiel rummage through a dresser drawer. He pulled off his jeans and boxers, too, relaxing when he no longer had to deal with the constant contact of the cloth on his legs. He thought he had a good handle of how human sex worked, and Sam had even been so kind as to explain the merits and functionality of condoms, but he still had his doubts.

‘So, Pizza Man, what do you want?’ Castiel asked huskily as he crawled back on top of Dean and set the small bottle of lube and condom next to them.

Dean recalled one of the pornos that Castiel had listed, and hoped he could hit two birds with one stone—learning from what the other did, and possibly giving Castiel what he wanted. ‘Well, I wouldn’t mind feeling your cock inside me,’ he replied, running his hand up Castiel’s thigh and under the soft, light colored boxers.

‘O-oh?’ Castiel stared down at Dean. He was used to his steady partners taking the more dominant role, and he never minded it. But, sometimes it was nice to feel his own cock buried deep within someone else. He had assumed that Dean was going to just take charge, but this was certainly a pleasant surprise.

Dean placed his hand behind Castiel’s neck and pulled him down. ‘Yeah. Wanna feel you deep inside me,’ he softly replied. ‘Then _next time_ , I’m gonna have you ride my cock until you make yourself cum.’

Castiel swallowed and wasn’t able to keep the giddy smile from his lips. ‘Next time,’ he promised then kissed Dean. He sucked on Dean’s tongue as he rubbed Dean’s cock and cupped his balls. He pulled away and removed his boxers, kicking them off. He gasped and moaned as Dean grabbed him and switched their positions. ‘Dean!’ he moaned helplessly as Dean’s mouth closed around his hardened cock. ‘Oh…oh, fuck…’

Dean didn’t just pay attention to Castiel’s dick, he licked, kissed, and sucked at all of Castiel’s crotch and inner thighs. It was so different from what he was used to. The way human legs split. Their softness. The way everything was kept on the outside of the body.

‘Dean… Ah! D-Dean… If you don’t stop, I’m not gonna be able to fuck you,’ Castiel gasped. He sighed as Dean’s mouth left him, and he smiled as the other man grinned at him. ‘You are ridiculously good at that.’

Dean nodded proudly. ‘Hey, I’ve got a natural talent,’ he replied. He let Castiel guide him onto his back and relaxed against the pillows.

‘I’m pretty talented myself,’ Castiel said as he slowly spread Dean’s legs. He reached back and grabbed the lube and condom before leaning down and gently kissing the precum from the tip of Dean’ penis. He opened his lips and took Dean into his mouth, rubbing his tongue against Dean’s shaft as he took Dean deeper. He reached the base of Dean’s cock and slowly pulled back, enjoying the soft, needy moans coming from the man beneath him. He lubed up his fingers and worked the slick substance around Dean’s hole as he guided a leg over his shoulder.

Dean panted as Castiel sucked on him at a leisurely pace. There was not enough friction for him to get off, but enough to keep him interested and wanting more. And whatever Castiel was doing to his ass felt amazing. Much better than anything felt when he had his tail. He choked out a cry in surprise as Castiel’s finger pushed into him. As Castiel pushed further, the mouth around his cock pressed further down.

Dean bucked up, and Castiel matched his thrusts with his finger. He squirmed as Castiel added a second finger and stretched him further. He thought for certain he was going to make Castiel gagged, but the man easily matched his movements, letting Dean fuck his mouth. ‘A-ah!!’ Dean screamed out as Castiel’s fingers pressed against his prostate. He clutched the sheets tightly and gasped for breath. He had no idea that it was so easy for humans to reach that special spot. You were a lucky merman if you had a mate that could reach it. Even Dean’s cock was barely long enough to reach. Most would just resort to using a fin, but fins just didn’t have the same dexterity that Castiel’s fingers held.

Dean shuddered and gasped as Castiel hit it again and added a third finger. He hadn’t noticed that Castiel had stopped sucking on his cock and was surprised when he was pulled into a kiss. ‘Cas… Oh, fuck… Please,’ he moaned. The fingers within him stopped moving, and he twisted, trying to feel more. ‘Please, Castiel. C’mon,’ he whined pathetically as Castiel withdrew his fingers.

Castiel smirked as he unwrapped the condom and poured out more lube. ‘You’re really enjoying this,’ Castiel observed. ‘Like seeing this side of you…completely wrecked and begging for more.’

Dean panted and stared up at Castiel. He had never wanted anyone more than he wanted Castiel at that moment. He held his tongue, though, having been warned by his brother that humans tended to be less willing to commit than mermaids were. He was having a hard enough time keeping himself from crying out in his own language, and he wasn’t sure how long he would be able to keep his wishes to himself. ‘Want you so bad,’ he whispered.

Castiel’s breath caught. His cock was touching Dean’s entrance, ready to plunge in. There was something about the way Dean had said it, and possibly Castiel’s own fantasies, that made him think that Dean meant more than just wanting him for that night. His eyes softened as he tilted his head to the left, brushing off the insane thought. ‘All yours,’ he said as he pushed into Dean, moaning at the tight warmth of Dean’s ass.

Dean hissed at the fullness and arched his back. ‘C-Cas… I-I… More!’

Castiel rocked slowly against Dean and kissed his jaw. ‘More?’

‘Mm…more,’ Dean groaned, grabbing Castiel’s shoulders as they moved in time. Castiel shifted above him, and with Castiel’s next thrust, Dean gasped, unable to keep the soft click that came from the back of his throat. He tensed, but Castiel kept moving, too wrapped up in loving Dean’s neck. He relaxed and went right back to enjoying the feeling of Castiel’s cock pushing in and out of him.

Castiel reached between them and lightly squeezed Dean’s cock. He rubbed his thumb over the slit, spreading precum and began to pump his fist in time with his thrusts, pulling soft moans from Dean. He slowed down and made the effort to hit Dean’s prostate with each thrust as he sped up his hand’s movements.

‘Oh, oh God! F-fuuuck! Cas, I-I—’ Dean came with a shout and a shrill whine, bordering on inhuman.

Castiel thrust faster as Dean’s warm seed spilled over his hand and muscles tightened around his cock. He kissed Dean as his own thrusts became more desperate. One final push, and he was over the edge, moaning as he rode out his high. He rested his head on Dean’s chest, panting and gasping for breath.

‘That was awesome,’ Dean said breathlessly. ‘Best I’ve ever had.’

Castiel laughed and pulled out of Dean. ‘Right. Never got any complaints, but I know I’m not _that_ good.’

Dean pulled Castiel down on top of him and held him close. ‘I mean it,’ he said. ‘You’re amazing. Best I’ve ever had.’

Castiel blushed lightly. ‘So I guess I earned my pizza?’ he joked.

‘Oh! In the box,’ Dean said as he sat up. ‘I got your…er… That stuff for your cut.’

Castiel frowned at Dean. ‘Stuff?’ He watched in confusion as Dean got up and left the room, almost tripping along the way. His eyes lingered on Dean’s ass. He leaned back and waited for Dean to return. He licked at Dean’s cum that was on his hand and made a face. It tasted just like seawater. He pulled off his used condom and leaned over the bed to grab his boxers. He wiped himself off and looked up as Dean came up and stood in front of him. He gently wiped Dean clean and gave him a suck and kiss before looking up with a shy smile.

Dean laced his fingers through Castiel’s hair. He let his hand slide from the top of Castiel’s head to cup his cheek. ‘Cas, I…’ He broke off with a soft smile. ‘Here,’ he said, handing Castiel a small plastic bag.

Castiel took the bag and gave it a gentle squeeze. His nose wrinkled in disgust at the brownish green goo that was inside the small bag. ‘What’s in it?’ he asked, turning the bag this way and that.

‘Stuff,’ Dean happily replied. ‘Trust me. It works wonders. I’d have a lot more scars than this,’ he said, motioning to his legs.

‘But I already put on some Neosporin,’ Castiel argued as Dean took the bag back. He chewed on his lip as Dean climbed onto the bed and settle behind him.

‘This is better,’ Dean insisted. He ran his fingers down Castiel’s back and along the tattoo that stretched across Castiel’s lower back. ‘What does this mean?’ he asked as he traced the symbols that sat between a pair of wings. The largest looked like a fork to Dean.

‘Well…the trident represents my love of water… The wings for the freedom it represents,’ Castiel quietly replied. He crossed his legs and placed his hands on his ankles as he felt Dean carefully remove the small bandages on his back. ‘The smaller symbols beneath it are…er…a protection spell?’

‘Does it work?’ Dean asked as he opened the bag and dipped his fingers into the green muck.

Castiel shrugged. ‘I’m not dead yet,’ he said. ‘It’s the love spell that doesn’t work.’ He grimaced and mentally berated himself for mentioning the spell.

‘Oh, I wouldn’t say that,’ Dean whispered into Castiel’s ear as he gently rubbed the ointment over Castiel’s cut.

Castiel breathed in sharply as coolness hit his back. He relaxed as Dean rubbed it in and a tingling sensation took over. He moan appreciatively as Dean applied a little more of the mysterious goo. ‘That feels nice… What’s in it?’ he asked.

Dean chuckled and kissed the back of Castiel’s neck. ‘Stuff. Stuff you probably don’t wanna know about,’ he said. Benny had watched him make the ointment and had been thoroughly disgusted by the pile of ingredients that Dean had collected, so he decided it was probably best not to even try to describe it to Castiel.

‘Hmm… Excrement? Sludge? Fish guts?’ Castiel rattled off, his mind already running wild with the possibilities. ‘I’ve been dowsed in chum before. I think I can handle whatever it is.’

‘Fine. Plants, fish, and a special ingredient,’ Dean replied.

‘What’s the special ingredient? Is it something illegal?’ Castiel asked suspiciously.

Dean laughed as he set the bag aside and rubbed his hands over Castiel’s shoulders. ‘I don’t think so. Here. You tell me why your love spell isn’t working, and I’ll try to explain what it is,’ he said.

Leaning back against Dean’s chest, Castiel rubbed his arm in embarrassment. ‘Relationships don’t really work out very well for me,’ he admitted. ‘My er…  In college, you could say that I had a revolving door.’

Dean nodded. ‘I’ve had plenty of flings,’ he said. ‘Doesn’t mean you won’t find the right mate er…partner.’

Castiel ignored the odd phrasing. He had worked with plenty of other biologists that would get stuck in terminology and refer to their partners as mates. ‘Well, college I could understand. I was the guy that organized orgies. I left that stigma behind after I graduated. Um…I hope you don’t mind that I uh…well… I was pretty slutty.’

‘I’ve had my share of orgies,’ Dean replied. He had learned a lot of new words form his pornographic research. ‘Lots of limbs. Fun, but it can get a little confusing.’

‘Oh. Well… I met Balthazar shortly after college,’ Castiel continued. ‘He was working as a cameraman on a documentary that I was doing research for, and we hit it right off. Lasted five years. And…and then the tape happened.’

‘Doesn’t seem like a spell gone wrong,’ Dean pointed out. ‘Just some bad luck and bad communication skills.’

Castiel shrugged. ‘The longest relationship I’ve had since then has been three months,’ he said bitterly. ‘I just can’t keep them. And it’s not for a lack of trying! I try to be what they’re looking for. Any time it looks like it’s going well, it turns out they’ve met someone else or they can’t stand my cat. …Muffin!’

Dean suddenly found himself alone on the bed. He looked around in confusion, wondering if he was supposed to follow Castiel out of the room. He looked up as Castiel returned, the orange and white cat held tightly in his arms as he cooed soft apologies.

Castiel looked up and met Dean’s gaze. ‘Sorry,’ he said as he sat on the bed next to Dean. ‘I put him in the bathroom. I didn’t want you to be put off.’

‘Put off?’

‘Well…like I was saying… Muffin’s…difficult to get along with,’ Castiel explained. ‘A lot of people don’t like him, and he uh… He likes to watch. Not everyone wants to look over in the middle of sex and see a cat staring at them.’

Dean laughed as he scratched the top of Muffin’s head, eliciting a loud purr. ‘I’ve been watched by weirder,’ he said. ‘Okay, so you’ve had a bad rep, bad luck, and people that don’t like your cat.’

‘You’d think I’d be able to do better,’ Castiel said grumpily as he let Muffin crawl to the space between him and Dean.

‘Maybe…your spell’s just leading you to the right person,’ Dean said. He looked up to meet Castiel’s eyes and smiled at the hopefulness he saw there.

‘Maybe,’ Castiel whispered. ‘But…’

‘But, what?’

‘Well, when I leave,’ Castiel replied. ‘Long distance relationships don’t always work out.’

‘Who said I had to stay here?’ Dean asked. ‘Got nothin’ tyin’ me down. Sam’s here, but I can always visit. Benny said I’d be good at a whole lot of things, so job’s not a problem.’

‘Oh. Well…’ Castiel couldn’t believe it. Dean was essentially saying that he could run away with him. ‘We can talk about this later,’ he eventually said, not wanting to get his hopes up. ‘Anyway. I told you about my woes in love, so how about that secret ingredient?’

‘It’s a kind of uh…what’s the word…mucus,’ Dean replied. He smiled uncertainly as he waited for Castiel’s reaction.

‘That’s all?’

Dean nodded.

‘I’ve had worse,’ Castiel said with a shrug. ‘I thought it was supposed to be special.’

‘It can make pearls over time,’ Dean replied.

‘Nacre? Nacre. _Nacre_? Okay, now I _know_ you’re pulling my leg,’ Castiel said with a roll of his eyes. ‘I’m a _marine_ biologist. Emphasis of the “marine.” You can’t pull one over me when it comes to anything fish related.’

Dean smiled and shrugged. ‘You’re the one that wanted it to be special. Pearls are special. Play your cards right, and I’ll make you one.’

Castiel laughed as Dean leaned over and kissed him. ‘ _Make_ one? Oh, I can’t wait!’ he said, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

‘But speaking of special, I _do_ have something extra special for you,’ Dean said as he nuzzled Castiel’s neck.

‘Mm. And what’s that?’

‘In my jeans.’

Castiel’s brows came together as he looked at the pile of Dean’s clothes on the floor. Dean nudged him, and he got up and made his way to the pair of discarded jeans. He picked them up and looked at Dean.

‘Front pocket. Left side,’ Dean said, grinning.

Castiel’s heart beat quickly with anticipation as he reached in. His fingers brushed against something hard. At first he thought it was a guitar pick, but it was too rough. He grasped it between his thumb and index finger and pulled it free of the pocket.

It was an iridescent, green scale on a length of leather cord. The other end of the cord caught, and Castiel carefully removed a second scale. He stared in wonder at the pair of green scales, one darker than the other. ‘Beautiful,’ he said softly. He looked up as Dean came to stand next to him. ‘They’re beautiful.’

Dean was deliriously happy. No one had ever called his scales ‘beautiful’ before. ‘Thanks,’ he breathed. ‘They’re for you. I…I was hopin’ you’d like to wear them…’

Castiel nodded and pulled the necklace over his head. ‘What are they from?’ he asked.

‘Eh… A kind of fish,’ Dean replied. ‘Don’t really know what they’re called, but it got caught in Benny’s net a while ago. He let it go, ‘cuz it was kinda freaky lookin’.’

‘Did you see it?’ Castiel asked distractedly, running his fingers over the scales. They were like nothing he’d ever seen.

‘Yeah. Seen it a few times,’ Dean said in amusement.

Castiel let the scales fall from his fingers to rest on his chest. He rose to his toes and kissed Dean. He let Dean take control of the kiss and soon found himself being lifted and carried to the bed. Dean set him on the bed, and he scooted over as the taller man crawled in next to him. He hugged himself close to Dean’s chest and sighed happily as they settled beneath the sheets. Muffin arranged himself between the pair’s legs. His perfect fantasy was coming true, and he didn’t want it to end.


	19. Chapter 19

Castiel muttered to himself as an insistent pounding grew louder. The bed shifted, and he rolled over, smiling as soft fur pressed against his face. Everything was perfect. For once, his life felt like it was going right. There was nothing that could go wr—

‘ _Castiel_!!’

Castiel shot up and stared ahead in shock as his perfect world crumbled away. He watched, first in horror then bemusement, as Balthazar barged into the bedroom with a very naked Dean trailing behind. ‘Good morning, Balthazar,’ he said, schooling his features. He had trouble maintaining eye contact with Dean’s bare legs and chest tempting him.

‘ _Morning_? It’s almost _noon_!’ Balthazar shouted.

‘Oh…sorry,’ Castiel replied, not feeling sorry in the least. ‘I was busy.’

‘I can see that!’ Balthazar glared at Dean as the other bent over to grab a pair of discarded jeans.

‘Well, you guys have your thing, so uh… I’ll catch you later?’ Dean asked as he pulled up his pants.

Castiel looked over and smiled as he let his eyes wander down. ‘Yeah… Oh, did you speak with Benny?’

‘Yeah. Monday! I’ll try to be there, too,’ Dean replied.

Balthazar watched as Dean slowly and gently kissed Castiel and felt his stomach drop at the blissful look on Castiel’s face. He waited until he heard the door to the bungalow close before sitting on the foot of the bed with a heavy sigh. ‘Cas…’

‘I don’t wanna hear it. I’m a slut. I know. And you know what? _I don’t care_ ,’ Castiel bit out as he got out of bed. ‘I’m…I’m _happy_! And he doesn’t care about what I’ve done! He…he likes me for _me_. Not what I try to be. It’s relaxing to not… _pretend_ ,’ he said, completely aware of how his voice wavered. He risked a glance at Balthazar and stopped at the resigned look he was receiving.

‘So, it’s completely over between us,’ Balthazar said quietly.

Castiel nodded and looked down. ‘I didn’t mean to lead you on,’ he whispered. ‘I didn’t really think anything… _meaningful_ was gonna happen with Dean, but he’s… I really like him.’ He smiled as he rubbed his arm and sat on the bed next to Balthazar.

‘You’re setting yourself up for heartbreak, Cas,’ Balthazar warned. ‘What’s gonna happen when we leave?’

‘He kinda said that he wanted to come with,’ Castiel admitted with a shrug. ‘Muffin likes him.’

‘Wow… You _and_ your brother…’

Castiel nodded as he fiddled with the scales around his neck. ‘We’re hopeless.’

‘Very.’

‘So you’re not mad?’

‘I’ve been mad at you for years. Guess it’s about time I’m finally happy for you.’

Casitel’s eyes teared up as he stared at his ex.  He felt so light and free. ‘I should get ready.’

‘And since you’re in good mood, we can tape you stripping,’ Balthazar said. He laughed at Castiel’s grimace as he stood. ‘Think of it this way: you can show your boyfriend later. Maybe _he’ll_ like your style of love note better than I did.’

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel was fanning himself with Samandriel’s notebook as he sat on a bench, looking out at the lagoon. It had started drizzling again, and Charlie had to leave due to her ‘condition.’ He knew it was bullshit. She didn’t have a skin condition. She just didn’t want her hair to frizz. The last time he had called her out on it, he had ended up with large bruise on his arm and glue in his hair product. He whined when Samandriel reclaimed the notebook.

‘Why do I even have to be here?’ he asked. ‘We can’t really _do_ anything. No sound girl, no cameraman… There’s no reason.’

‘No cabana boy,’ Anna added as she hefted camera onto her shoulder. She grinned at the annoyed grunt from Gabriel. ‘Now, get your ass on that dock and pretend you believe there’s really something out there.’

‘But there _is_ something out there,’ Gabriel groaned as he trudged onto dock. He pushed his hair back and crossed his arms, frowning at the camera.

‘Smile, Gabe,’ Anna instructed. ‘Maybe shift your weight. Hands on hips. It’ll go with what you did to your hair.’

Gabriel sneered as he did what Anna asked. It annoyed him that she got away with ordering him around, but she had a good eye, and he didn’t want to risk losing her to another show. He exhaled quickly before giving a bright smile. ‘This is just the sort of weather that—’

‘Boat!’ Samandriel shouted.

Gabriel turned to glare at the passing boat and recognized it as their rental. He threw his arms up at the pair on board. ‘Seriously? What the hell, guys?!’

Balthazar guided the small boat toward the dock, staying a good ten feet away. ‘Sorry. We’re running late.’

‘What the fuck were you doing?!’ Gabriel shouted. He caught Balthazar’s grin and Castiel’s grimace. He dropped his shoulders in defeat. ‘Oh, come on! You wanna screw each other? Do it when you’re _not_ scheduled to shoot!’

‘I _overslept_!’ Castiel shouted back, banging his fist on the boat’s railing.

‘Don’t lie to me! I’m onto you now!’ Gabriel got as close to the edge of the dock as he dared. ‘I said take some time off, not get off with the film crew!’

‘I didn’t—’ Castiel looked over as Balthazar laid a hand on his shoulder.

‘For your information, Gabriel, Mr. Coffee answered the door,’ Balthazar explained. ‘Naked, I might add…’

‘Oh, my God,’ Castiel muttered as he buried his face in his hands in embarrassment. ‘You didn’t have to tell them.’

‘That’s not fair!’ Gabriel rounded on Samandriel and stalked up to the PA. ‘How come _he_ gets to sleep in and _I_ don’t?!’

‘I thought you wanted him to be happy?’ Samandriel replied with a shrug. ‘Aren’t we supposed to be making his transition to film nice and easy?’

Gabriel glared as Anna smiled. He noticed that the camera was still recording and trained directly on him. He narrowed his eyes before turning back to the boat and the pair of men it held. ‘Fine! But that’s gonna cost you!’ he said, slowly letting a grin surface. ‘Bal, be sure to get a really nice shot of that tramp stamp. The more voyeuristic, the better.’

Balthazar nodded happily as Castiel sputtered. He returned to the helm and continued on their original course as Castiel sank onto the deck.

.-.-.-.-.

Karen closed the door to the kitchen, smiling to herself. She saw Bobby enter the dining room and waved him over. ‘Listen!’ she whispered, nodding to the door.

Bobby frowned as he came closer. He crossed his arms and gave Karen a disapproving stare. ‘Thought you were above eaves dropping.’

Karen shook her head and threw open the door. Three pairs of eyes looked over before turning back to the pie in the middle of the small kitchen table. And then the clicks and whistles picked up.

Bobby stared in disbelief as the three merfolk chattered away. He had heard Sam make similar sounds before—usually when the merman had hurt himself or broke something. But never something so fluid and cheerful. The group sounded like a small gathering of very talkative dolphins, but not quite. There were still human voices behind the clicks and squeaks, and each person at the table had their own tone. ‘This is too weird,’ Bobby muttered, turning away and leaving.

Charlie sniggered as Karen smiled apologetically. ‘ _They’re really nice_ ,’ she clicked as she helped herself to another forkful of apple pie.

Sam nodded, smiling to himself. ‘ _Yeah… I really lucked out with them_ ,’ he replied.

‘ _So… When are you planning on telling Gold Eyes?_ ’ she asked.

Sam gave Charlie a confused look before he made the connection that she was speaking of Gabriel. ‘ _Oh. Um… Actually, I wanted your opinion on that_ ,’ Sam said with a reluctant squeak. ‘ _How do you think he’ll take it?_ ’

Charlie thought for a moment, bouncing her fork on the table. ‘ _Really well, or really bad._ ’

‘ _And he’ll probably make the connection about **you** being a mermaid, too_ ,’ he pointed out.

Charlie nodded. ‘ _It’s not like I’ve been super-secretive about it. I even told him once that I was a mermaid. He just laughed at me._ ’

‘ _What about Blue Fish?_ ’ Dean asked.

‘ _Blue…Fish?_ ’ Charlie asked.

‘ _He likes fish, and he has blue eyes?_ ’

‘ _Ha! Nice. I don’t know him well enough_ ,’ Charlie replied with a shrug. ‘ _He’s… From what I’ve seen so far, he doesn’t take change very well._ ’ She gave Dean a series of sympathetic clicks.

Dean sighed as he leaned back in his chair. ‘ _He’s into me. **That** I know. More than that other guy I hope…_ ’

‘ _Well, they have history. Good **and** bad,_ ’ Charlie replied. ‘ _You seem to be doing a good job so far… Maybe a **tad** bit…forward._ ’

‘ _What do you mean?_ ’ Dean asked with a concerned whistle.

‘ _Humans are more subtle_ ,’ Sam explained. ‘ _They don’t… Well, they don’t even really have a way to splay fins for potential mates. There’s nothing to really judge their personality from._ ’

Charlie chirped angrily at Sam. ‘ ** _We_** _shouldn’t even judge by fins! I heard plenty about how Freckles held his fins in a splay. Perfect mate material. But! Too bad they were bland!_ ’ She slammed her fork on the table and slouched, crossing her arms. ‘ _And **I** have a bad splay, but oh…my colors more than make up for it!_ ’

‘ _That’s…that’s why I like this human way_ ,’ Dean quietly admitted. ‘ _No one knows._ ’

Charlie nodded as she stared out the kitchen window. She smiled at Dean as she stood. ‘ _It’s stopped raining. You wanna go for a swim?_ ’

Dean eagerly nodded and looked to Sam. ‘ _Coming?_ ’

Sam looked away, slowly shaking his head. ‘ _No… I… I’m not ready yet._ ’

Dean squeaked out his regret and touched Sam’s shoulder lightly as he followed Charlie out the kitchen door.

Sam watched the pair leave. He wanted to go with them, but he felt like it was too much of a risk. It was bad enough that Dean was in and out of the water, and Charlie was already heading out for midnight swims on her own. He just didn’t see how they could risk everything so easily. Especially right under the noses of people actively looking for proof of a mysterious creature.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Charlie mentions ‘locals,’ she means the local wildlife. A stab jacket is also known as a BCD or buoyancy compensator.

Dean and Charlie darted through the water, egging each other on with clicks and whistles. Dean led the way through the lagoon, keeping to deeper water and steering clear of boats. They reached the ocean and quickly surfaced for air before ducking back under.

‘ _What should we do?_ ’ Charlie asked. ‘ _Torment the locals? Spy on your dreamy Blue Fish?_ ’

Dean flicked his fin, sending him a few feet away from Charlie. ‘ _I dunno… They’re doing that…thing. We might be seen._ ’

‘ _Um… Putting memories in a box!_ ’ Charlie said. ‘ _It’s okay. We stay away until they have to get new air._ ’

Dean frowned uncertainly. ‘ _I guess…_ ,’ he relented.

‘ _Great! Follow me!_ ’ Charlie chirped before taking off toward the northeastern section of the atoll.

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel hoisted up the camera he held, and Balthazar took it. He climbed onto the ladder hanging off the edge of the rental boat and out of the water. He didn’t think as he pulled his goggles off and shook the excess water from his hair until he heard Balthazar grunt in approval. He pushed his bangs back and looked over at the camera filming his every move. Irritation raced up his spine, and he could just imagine the _producers_ gloating behind Balthazar. He realized he was glaring and quickly looked away as he hefted himself on board.

‘ _Very_ nice,’ Balthazar complimented. ‘And it only took your first try to get that look of pure hate.’

‘We’ll have to do it again,’ Castiel moaned as he adjusted his scuba tank.

‘Nah, we’re good. Exactly what we want,’ Balthazar replied. ‘Trust me. For some reason, they like you belligerent.’

‘I bet they do,’ Castiel said under his breath. He sighed miserably as he shrugged off his stab jacket and set it down. He sat on a tool box and removed his flippers, highly aware of Balthazar recording his every move. He felt exposed and embarrassed. He shouldn’t, really. If someone knew where to look, there were plenty of places to find photographs and film of him far more exposed. And far more drunk.

He reached up to the zipper pull at the back of his neck and stopped. He crossed his arms and threw a glare up at Balthazar. ‘Must you do that?’

‘Do what?’ Balthazar asked.

‘Never mind. I’ll change when we get back,’ Castiel said.

Balthazar set the camera down and knelt next to Castiel. ‘C’mon, Cassie,’ he said, placing his hand on Castiel’s knee. ‘It’ll be fun.’

Castiel chewed the inside of his cheek as he looked away. ‘That’s…actually what I’m afraid of,’ he quietly admitted. ‘I really don’t want this to be…fun. I don’t… I don’t want Gabriel to be _right_.’ His voice shook as he spoke. ‘I worked _so hard_ to get where I am! …Was. Where I was… I was respected. I was…I was… Fuck. I was nobody.’

He hunched over, burying his face in his hands. ‘No one knew about me… No one had any idea about my reputation in college. Do you have any idea how _hard_ it was to make sure no one found out?’ Castiel asked, raising his head. He let Balthazar pull him into a hug as he closed his eyes. ‘I’ve tried so hard to leave everything behind. To be the proper scientist I’m supposed to be. All this…’ He waved his hand at the camera equipment and scuba gear. ‘I would have been all for this during college. Going off on adventures…’

‘You were always happier just before a trip,’ Balthazar pointed out. ‘You never had to say when you were leaving. I just knew from the way you acted. Then you’d come back and be unbearable for a couple weeks.’

Castiel let out a short laugh as he stood. He turned and leaned over the railing, staring at the water below. ‘I guess I didn’t want to come back to my “normal” life…’ He glanced up as Balthazar settled next to him.

Balthazar had his back to the railing as he stood next to Castiel. ‘Cas?’ He waited until the other man turned to face him with a look of apprehension and uncertainty. ‘Do you promise not to swim off?’ he asked with a slight smile.

‘Even though I could make it back to land, it would be an inconvenient trip,’ Castiel replied. He grimaced at Balthazar’s sour expression. ‘No. I mean, yes. I’ll stay.’

‘Everyone is worried about you,’ Balthazar said. ‘You’re drinking—’

‘My contract—’

‘Off camera, Castiel. You didn’t used to knock back a shot of tequila like it was nothing,’ he clarified. ‘I think the other night was the first time I’ve seen how you really drink.’

‘I know what I can handle. …I failed to pay attention in Scotland,’ Castiel softly replied.

‘I guessed as much. You’re not gonna go all alcoholic on us, are you?’ Balthazar asked.

Castiel laughed as he shook his head. ‘No. I’m good. I’d be more worried about me getting blazed, to be honest,’ he replied with a sly grin.

Balthazar leaned over and gave Castiel’s cheek a quick peck. ‘Never shoulda let you go…’

Castiel turned his head and eyed Balthazar’s lips for a moment before closing the distance between them. He laced his fingers through Balthazar’s hair as he kissed him deeply, moaning quietly. He heard a soft splash as he pulled away and stared at his ex. ‘Sorry.’

‘Change your mind?’

Castiel shook his head. ‘Just…saying goodbye.’

‘Most people actually say it,’ Balthazar replied cheekily.

‘Well, if you had hit me up a little sooner, I would have given you a goodbye fuck, but we’re past that point,’ Castiel said as he pushed off the railing.

Balthazar groaned as he leaned back. ‘I never got our breakup sex! Not fair!’

Castiel chuckled as he leaned down and picked up the camera. He tilted his head curiously as he handed the camera to Balthazar. ‘Did you want to tape the strip tease?’

‘Emphasis on the “teasing,” right?’ Balthazar said as he took the camera. ‘Now, you’re being mean.’

 ‘C’mon, let’s see what we can get away with on TV. And what it takes to make Gabriel uncomfortable,’ Castiel said as he turned his back to Balthazar.

‘Gabriel might be uncomfortable watching you strip, but everyone else is gonna eat it right up,’ Balthazar said as he propped the camera on his shoulder. ‘Ready when you are.’

Castiel breathed deeply as he stretched and cracked his neck. He closed his eyes, putting himself in the right frame of mind. This was a performance. Just like any drag show he’d been in. Just like amateur night at the strip club. He just needed to come off as an unknowing participant. He grinned as he found his inspiration. How would he strip down to get Dean to jump him without knowing what he was up to?

.-.-.-.-.

About two miles away, Dean was swimming in furious circles around Charlie, clicking and chirping franticly.

‘ _Freckles, calm down! It’s okay. It’s not that bad_ ,’ Charlie insisted as she sank to the ocean floor, wrapping her tail around herself.

‘ _They were kissing! Blue made the first move! He’s chosen!_ ’

‘ _It’s not the same_ ,’ Charlie said as she snagged a passing fish. ‘ _Kissing doesn’t mean the same thing._ ’

Dean slowed and drifted closer to Charlie. She was right. In his shock of seeing the pair kissing, he had forgotten. ‘ _I know that, but…seeing it… They look good together._ ’

‘ _Not as good as you and Blue. You two look perfect together_ ,’ Charlie clicked. She bit into the fish, killing it, and offered it to Dean. ‘ _Fish?_ ’

Dean shook his head. He flicked his fins, sending him past Charlie. ‘ _I don’t know what to do_ ,’ he whined miserably. ‘ _I’m a horrible mermaid, and an even worse human!_ ’

‘ _I think you’re doing pretty well. You’ve got a good handle on things. Just try to spend more time with him. Get to know him better. Let him get to know you_ ,’ Charlie said before biting into the fish’s belly.

‘ _I wish I could just splay my fins and be done with it_ ,’ Dean griped as he settled on the ocean floor. He wriggled on his back in frustration. ‘ _This takes too long!_ ’

‘ _Love isn’t always quick with humans_ ,’ Charlie quietly replied. ‘ _And…it’s not always for life._ ’

Dean looked over at Charlie. ‘ _So even if he **does** choose me, he could leave._ ’

Charlie nodded sadly. ‘ _Some matings only last a few years._ ’

‘ _Well, I’d rather have a few years with him than nothing. I’m already getting nothing out here_ ,’ Dean said as he flipped over. He spread out his fins and flexed his spines. He looked over as Charlie whistled at him. ‘ _What?_ ’

‘ _Just wishing I could do that_ ,’ Charlie said wistfully.

Dean rolled his eyes as he pushed himself onto his elbows. He brought his tail up and over so that his tail fin framed his face. The submissive move came naturally to him with a practiced ease. ‘ _Come and get me, Blue Fish!_ ’ he whined lowly.

Charlie swatted at Dean’s tail with her own. ‘ _Don’t be obscene!_ ’

.-.-.-.-.

Sam looked up in shock as shouting filled the lobby.

‘No! What are you—?! Stop looking at my stuff! Oh, my God! Stop smelling the bed!  Well, what do _you_ think?! Just—put Jody on the phone!’ Castiel spared a glance at Sam before turning away dismissively.

Balthazar entered the lobby, lugging a camera and a couple bags. He looked upset as he set the bags and camera down and moved to lean on the front desk. ‘I feel sorry for your brother,’ he said conversationally.

Sam looked from Balthazar to Castiel before responding. ‘Why? Because he has a crush that’s going nowhere?’

Balthazar snorted with laughter, shaking his head. ‘Oh, that would be good… No. He’s never had the misfortune of experiencing Cas just after a close encounter of the Crowley kind,’ he explained. ‘They hate each other so much, I think they’re in love.’

‘Then sleep on the couch!’

‘More competition?’ Sam asked, masking his concern for his brother.

Balthazar stared at Sam with a small frown. ‘Thankfully, no.’

‘I didn’t have time to clean up!’

‘But, as you can already tell, Crowley always acts as a spanner in the works,’ Balthazar said with a sigh as Castiel demanded to speak with Jody. ‘This is only the beginning of what will no doubt be an amazing crash landing.’

‘I—hey! Hello? Hello?! You—!’ Castiel turned to the two men at the front desk. ‘He hung up on me,’ he said calmly.

‘Guessed as much.’

Castiel bit his lip as he cast his eyes about the room. ‘I have to go.’ He reached the door and turned back when Balthazar cleared his throat. He stared curiously at the man smiling at him.

‘Forgetting something?’ Balthazar asked.

Castiel shook his head. ‘You can keep my gear. Just come get me tomorrow morning. The earlier, the better,’ he replied. Balthazar nodded his head at Sam, and Castiel frowned in confusion. What would he need to say to the hotel worker? Was he supposed to say something? Did he need something? Just because his brother was dating— ‘Oh! Tell Dean that I won’t be able to see him tonight. I have a lot to deal with, and his presence would only make things worse.’ Satisfied, he left the hotel.

Balthazar grimaced and shook his head. ‘Well, that was a little better than I was expecting, to tell the truth…’ He looked up at Sam’s flabbergasted expression. ‘You owe me. He _would_ have left without an explanation.’

Sam breathed slowly as he processed what Castiel had said. He would have actually preferred that Castiel hadn’t given an explanation. At least, _then_ he could have made up an excuse for the biologist. Dean was not going to be happy.


	21. Chapter 21

Castiel barged into the bungalow, slamming the door behind him. ‘Crowley!’

‘Out here, dear!’ Jody’s voice called out.

Castiel made his way out onto the terrace and found Jody and Crowley lounging in the plunge pool. His shoulders sagged in resignation at the bright smile Jody gave him. ‘Hello, Jody.’

‘What’s this I hear about you hooking up with some random guy?’ Jody asked, dropping her smile. ‘You need to be more careful! He could be a deranged psychopath! Do you have any idea how many people go missing every year in resort towns?’

‘I can take care of myself,’ Castiel said as he slouched onto a deck chair and stared at the pair.

‘He’s absolutely right, you know,’ Crowley said as he sipped at a mimosa. ‘The things he can do with a stiletto…’

Jody rolled her eyes as she moved to the edge of the pool. ‘We’re going on a hike tomorrow,’ she said, ignoring Crowley’s groan. ‘Did you want to join us?’

‘I’m working,’ Castiel replied.

Crowley smirked at Castiel. ‘Oh, yes. Your brother’s show. It’s very… _informative_ ,’ he said. ‘Which reminds me… I brought your dress. And a selection of a few others.’

‘Out of the goodness of your heart, I’m sure.’

‘I was thinking of a scene of you in a really tight Speedo… Maybe holding a harpoon,’ Crowley said, tapping his chin in thought.

‘Harpoon would send the wrong message,’ Jody said, turning to her husband. ‘Maybe an oar? Or a baby shark! That would look great if you could get him to smile.’

Castiel grimaced as Jody and Crowley bickered back and forth over what he should be wearing and holding. He looked down when a soft body brushed against his leg. He reached down and pulled the cat onto his lap. ‘Hey, Muffin. Are you being good?’

‘That monster would not leave the bed,’ Crowley said in disgust. ‘Which, by the way, still smells like sex even after the maid changed the linens.’

Jody splashed water in Crowley’s direction and shushed him. ‘Fergus Roderick Crowley! That is rude!’

‘It’s a fact,’ Crowley said flatly. ‘Besides, it takes a lot to offend him. Right, Castiel?’

Castiel shrugged in response. ‘I am a little offended that you never told me that we made a sex tape.’

Crowley stared at Castiel as his mouth worked to form words.

‘Roddy, dearest, is there something you wanted to tell me?’ Jody coolly asked.

Crowley shook his head. ‘I would never… Not with… Ugh.’

‘It was _you_ taping _me_. Like what Jody made for you,’ Castiel explained.

Both Jody and Crowley nodded in understanding. ‘That makes more sense,’ Crowley said. ‘Wait. I think I remember something… I thought we couldn’t find a camera.’

‘Apparently, we found some tequila and just used one of the ones we were using for filming the documentary,’ Castiel dryly replied. He shifted uncomfortably as Jody broke out into laughter and Crowley stared in amused bewilderment.

‘Do you have it?’ Jody asked, wiping at her eyes. ‘Please say you have it! We can watch it tonight.’

‘No, Balthazar still has it. I really need to get it back,’ Castiel said, shaking his head. ‘Why do _you_ want to see it?’

‘I’ve seen you two blackout drunk. Arrested you, even! You’re a riot!’ she replied.

The two men groaned and ducked their heads in embarrassment. Their first few run-ins with Jody had been interesting, to say the least. It was how Crowley found out he had a bondage kink and a thing for being thrown against police cars and frisked.

The first time, he hadn’t remembered, but the second time… He had been fairly sober, but no less belligerent and mouthy, and was quite surprised when the arresting officer pushed him face-first onto the hood of her vehicle and kicked his legs apart. When a hand trailed down his butt crack and massaged his balls through his pants, he had frozen in panic. He was even more confused when he was gently turned around and the officer referred to him as Roddy and asked if he was okay. Between the erection straining against his too-tight leather pants and vaguely remembering the woman’s face from when he had been released from the drunk tank a week earlier, his response had been a shaken ‘I don’t know?’

Crowley downed the rest of his drink. ‘So! Tell me about this new beau of yours.’

.-.-.-.-.

‘What did he mean by “make things worse”,’ Dean asked, crossing his arms. His heart pounded harshly in his chest, and he could feel himself shaking.

‘I don’t know,’ Sam replied, shaking his head. He leaned against the kitchen counter as he gave his brother a sympathetic look. ‘He was really worked up while he was on the phone with this Crowley guy, and then he left.’

‘When will he be back?’

‘I don’t know,’ Sam said. ‘You heard Charlie. They’re all filming different scenes for the rest of the week. Even Gabe was apologizing earlier about not having time during the day.’

Dean paced restlessly. ‘But he’s spending his nights with you,’ he said. He looked up, and Sam nodded reluctantly. ‘Then why can’t Cas spend _his_ with me?’

‘Maybe tomorrow night?’ Sam replied. ‘It sounds like he has to sort things out with Crowley first, and then everything will work out.’

Dean sighed as he stared at Sam. ‘I hope you’re right,’ he said quietly.

‘I’ve never seen you this worked up over anyone before,’ Sam said.

‘Cas is…Cas is different. It’s like…he sees _me_ instead of my fins,’ Dean said as he dropped heavily onto a chair and propped his elbows onto the kitchen table. ‘He’s not scared off by my scars. He actually _likes_ them! And… Oh, God… The sounds he makes!’

‘Right. Gonna cut you off right there,’ Sam said, pushing off the counter. ‘Look, Dean… For the most part, humans don’t move as fast as mermaids do.’

‘I _know_ that!’ Dean growled. He clicked in annoyance as Sam joined him at the table. ‘I just… I feel like I’m running out of time. He was kissing… He was kissing that other guy, and…and they looked _happy_.’

Sam looked away, unable to come up with anything that could possibly comfort his brother. As much as he didn’t like Dean courting the marine biologist, he didn’t want to see him miserable, either.

.-.-.-.-.

The next day, Sam and Dean saw neither hide nor hair of the film crew. When the crew returned, sans Balthazar and Castiel, Charlie had given Dean a sad look before darting down the hallway toward her shared room.

‘I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think,’ Sam said. Even he didn’t buy the words that came out of his mouth.

‘Really? He didn’t come back, Sam. And that…that other guy’s with him!’ Dean was sprawled across Sam’s bed, staring up at the ceiling. ‘I knew I shouldn’t have bothered… I can’t get a mermaid. Why the hell did I think I could get a human mate?!’

‘Dean, how do you think his other suitor felt when he was spending time with _you_? Maybe he’s…weighing his options?’

Dean gave Sam a doubtful stare. ‘Well, it’s nice that _Bal_ can’t make things _worse_ ,’ he bit out hatefully. He rolled onto his side so that he faced the wall. At that moment, he couldn’t stand being human. He wanted the familiarity of the water flowing over his fins. At least in the water, he knew what was expected of him. He sighed as a soft knock broke the silence.

Sam opened the door to find Gabriel smiling up at him. ‘Gabe, this really isn’t a good time,’ he said quietly.

‘Go on. I think I’m gonna go out anyway,’ Dean said, waving his hand over his shoulder.

‘That Dean in there?’ Gabriel asked, poking his head into the room. ‘You’re lucky! I talked Cas outta inviting you to his little _Jaws_ marathon.’

Dean sat up and gave Gabriel a confused frown. ‘What’s a _Jaws_ marathon?’ he asked, not caring if he sounded stupid.

‘See? I knew you wouldn’t be interested,’ Gabriel said proudly. ‘They’re a bunch of shark movies. Lotsa people dying left and right and getting eaten up by a large shark. I had to remind him what happened the last time him and Crowley made some poor shark attack victim watch _Jaws_. Poor kid almost had a heart attack!’

Dean looked at the floor in thought. He remembered watching the cartoon shark and Ariel’s escape. ‘So…he hasn’t picked Balthazar over me?’ he asked with a careful tone.

‘Uh… Well, I… I can’t say,’ Gabriel said uncomfortably. ‘They’re getting along really well. Like…really, really well. Almost like old times. But I don’t think you’re out of the game!’

Dean sighed and glanced up at Gabriel. ‘You’re Cas’s brother… Can you give me any pointers? Anything he really likes?’

Gabriel stared dumbly at Dean. He looked up at Sam, who gave him a shrug. ‘Er… He likes fish?’ he said, looking back at Dean. ‘Hey, up until a few days ago, I thought my brother was this super-innocent, naïve, little angel that liked dive bars for whatever reason. Turns out, he’s a man-whore. A kinky one. Even Bal didn’t know about the weird crap he’s into. So, uh… Fish and sex?’ He pulled a face as he mentally repeated what he had said. ‘That came out wrong. He likes to study fish, and he likes to study human anatomy in the most intimate way possible.’

Dean nodded as he chewed his cheek in thought. He was sort of a fish, so that was in his favor, right? Not if Castiel didn’t know. And would Castiel knowing about what he truly was work in his favor, or would it make the biologist want to cut him up?

‘Well, thanks,’ he eventually said. ‘You two go have fun. I’ll uh… I’m gonna go out.’

Gabriel grinned and grabbed Sam by the wrist and hauled him into the hall.

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel downed another shot as the dorsal fin skimmed the surface of the water. He coughed when Balthazar leaned into him and rested a hand on his chest.

‘Why didn’t you ever do this with me?’ Balthazar whined drunkenly. ‘You’re fun. More fun than I thought! You’ve been holdin’ out on me!’

‘Our little Cassie wanted you think he was normal,’ Crowley cooed.

Balthazar rubbed his hand along Castiel’s chest and frowned as his fingers ran over a tough bump under the shirt. He reached through Castiel’s collar, ignoring the annoyed grunt, and pulled out a pair of scales on a length of leather cord. ‘Wha’s this?’ he asked, raking his nail across the ridges.

‘Some sorta scales,’ Castiel replied. He pulled them free from Balthazar’s fingers and stared at them. ‘Dean gave ‘em to me. They’re from a f…’ He trailed off as he turned them over. He hadn’t really taken the time to examine them properly, either too busy or distracted. They weren’t like normal fish scales. They held a slight iridescence on one side, but the other was dull and more of a pale earth tone. He squinted at the scales as his mind supplied a similarly shaped scale. ‘Pangolin,’ he muttered aloud.

‘Huh?’

‘They’re colored pangolin scales,’ Castiel quickly said. ‘I… Excuse me.’ He quickly left the couch and grabbed his notebook as he made a beeline to the bathroom. Once hidden, he dropped onto the floor and pulled the necklace over his head. Why hadn’t he seen it earlier? He reached onto the sink and grabbed his razor. Carefully, he positioned a scale against the razor blade and sliced off a small portion from the side.

Castiel dropped the razor to the floor as he leaned back against the wall. The scales hadn’t been artificially colored. They were real. They were mammalian. They were mammalian and iridescent. As he stared at the scales, his breath caught. They were the same color as the tail of Gabriel’s sea serpent.

He opened his notebook and wrote out his small discovery in his makeshift shorthand, as well as a reminder to interrogate Dean. He pulled down his pants and wrote a reminder to check his notebook on his inner thigh. He didn’t want to run the risk of Crowley or Balthazar finding out. Not when he and Gabriel were the only ones that knew about the photograph.

His heart raced at the implications. A true cross between a mammal and a fish. It was the discovery of a lifetime! What would they name it? What species was it related to? He needed to speak to Dean and find out just what it looked like. Was the ferry still running?

He stood quickly and clasped his hand over his mouth as a wave of nausea crashed over him. He slowly sank back to the floor with a soft groan. He would have to wait until morning. His head fell back against the wall, and he banged it a couple times in frustration. He had a full schedule tomorrow. Samandriel had packed their days full in an attempt to beat the weather.

‘Fuck,’ Castiel mumbled. Maybe he could catch Dean at tomorrow. He didn’t know Dean’s schedule, or how often the other man joined Benny. At least he knew he would definitely see the other man on Friday. It was Wednesday. A little more than twenty-four hours, and he was guaranteed an answer of some sort. If Dean didn’t have an answer, then maybe Benny did.

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel fell against the bed, his arms finally giving out. He groaned as he turned over and made room for Sam to settle next to him. He lazily kicked out his leg and grumbled in annoyance at the pant leg that still covered his left leg.

Sam leaned over and pulled Gabriel free of the last piece of clothing. He laughed quietly and gave Gabriel’s knee a kiss. ‘This wouldn’t have been a problem if you had been a little more patient,’ he said as he settled next to the shorter man.

‘You sayin’ you didn’t like the impromptu bondage?’ Gabriel asked. ‘Never knew pants could be used like that.’

Sam pulled Gabriel on top of himself and kissed him lightly. ‘Not sayin’ that at all. Although, I hope you weren’t planning on wearing them tomorrow…’

Gabriel looked over the edge of the bed to where Sam had thrown the pants in question. They were twisted beyond recognition and stained in cum. ‘Yeah… I have another pair I can wear. Or we can just do close-ups and whatnot. Either way, it’s not a problem.’

He sighed happily as he rested his head on Sam’s chest, enjoying the feeling of fingers stroking his hair. ‘Do you need me to set you an alarm?’ he asked drowsily.

‘I figured I would just get up with you since you have an early start tomorrow,’ Sam replied.

‘Gonna take an early morning shower with me?’

Sam shook his head. ‘Sorry. I have a few things I need to do that are guaranteed to get me dirty. I was gonna take a shower after I finished,’ he said. He was only partly lying.

‘Fine. You’re excused _this_ time,’ Gabriel said with a small huff. He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep with Sam’s fingers still gently lacing through his hair.

.-.-.-.-.

Dean set his shorts under a bush before jumping out into the shallow water. He had found that keeping his legs together and swimming helped ease the itching burn of the change. He winced as muscles shifted and bones separated.

After a few laps around the older and newer piers near the Singer Hotel, he set off to the bungalow Castiel was staying in. He knew he shouldn’t. He probably wouldn’t be able to see anything anyway, but he just had to check. See if Castiel had gotten any closer to Balthazar.

He surfaced beneath the bungalow and felt his fins stretch into an aggressive pose when he heard Balthazar’s voice. He shook his head as he neared the edge of the deck. He really had it bad. He had never raised his fins for a fight. Never felt the need. He knew his place. But his place among humanity was different. He wasn’t the bottom of the barrel. He wasn’t just a fling to pass the time.

He floated beneath the wooden terrace and listened carefully.

‘Really wish I’d known about this side of you sooner,’ Balthazar said as he sipped at a beer. ‘Drinking games… Think of all the strip poker we coulda played!’

Castiel was leaning against the railing, staring out at the lagoon. He sighed and shifted his stare to the bottle of beer he held. He hadn’t taken a sip yet. He didn’t want to run the risk of forgetting his revelation. ‘Says the man that just lost all of his clothes.’

Balthazar snorted. ‘I didn’t know I was playing against a pair of hustlers,’ he said. ‘Well, Crowley I’d expect it from, but you? And _Jody_?’

‘I’m sorry I never told you,’ Castiel said quietly.

‘Huh?’

Castiel raised his eyes to Balthazar. ‘About…the drinking. The hustling. The arrests. Everything. I didn’t think you would understand. There’s…a lot more, too.’

‘Really,’ Balthazar said, his interest piqued. ‘In that case, your little fisherman had better make a move soon. Otherwise, I’m gonna have to steal you right out from under his nose.’

Dean panicked as Castiel laughed. There was someone else that Castiel was interested in? Who was the fisherman? It couldn’t have been Benny. Benny had no interest in Castiel. His thoughts screeched to halt as he realized that Balthazar was referring to him.

Casitel laughed as he shook his head. ‘You’re more than welcome to try,’ he said with a smile.

‘C’mon. Who’s the better kisser?’ Balthazar asked cheekily.

‘Well… I would say you’re more experienced, but Dean’s certainly more enthusiastic,’ Castiel replied. ‘Given the chance, I believe he could surpass your talents.’

‘And, given the chance, I could be _much_ more enthusiastic,’ Balthazar said as he leaned closer.

Castiel raised his hand and placed his fingers against Balthazar’s lips. He rolled his eyes as Balthazar licked and sucked on his fingers.

Dean dropped beneath the water as soft laughter filled his ears. Castiel was inviting Balthazar to fight for his affections. He was encouraging him! He gave a distressed cry as he swam as fast as he could toward the open ocean.


	22. Chapter 22

Gabriel awoke, wrapped in the warm comfort of strong arms. He hummed happily as Sam kissed the top of his head.

‘You need to get up,’ Sam whispered. He smiled as Gabriel grumbled and nestled against his chest, leaving soft kisses.

‘You sure you don’t wanna take a shower with me?’ Gabriel asked as he reluctantly sat up.

‘You know my reason. Now, get going,’ Sam said as he gave Gabriel’s butt a light smack.

Gabriel chuckled and disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Sam to find his scattered clothes.

As Sam pulled his shirt over his head, he grimaced at how messy the room was. His own shelves may have been cluttered, but at least he knew he had a floor. Gabriel’s clothing was spread everywhere along with scattered CDs, notebooks, and books. He shook his head as he stooped to collect some of the clothes. He set the pile on the foot of the bed and bent down to get some more. As he lifted a shirt, a photograph caught his eye.

He frowned as he picked up the photo and examined it. A quiet squeal escaped his throat when he recognized the green and violet tail.

‘Whatcha lookin’ at?’ Gabriel asked as he left the bathroom. The only thing he wore was a towel wrapped around his head. He made his way to Sam’s side and looked at what the taller man was holding. His mind went blank. No one was supposed to know about the photograph. He said the first thing that came to mind.

‘Nice hoax, huh?’ he said with a laugh.

‘Hoax?’ Sam repeated. He glanced down to see Gabriel staring at the photo and nervously chewing his lip.

‘Yeah, uh…’ Gabriel wracked his mind. What had Castiel said about the photo? ‘So it’s supposed to be some sort of mysterious sea monster, right? Well, those uh…scales? Yeah, there’s scales and the tailfin is uh…like a uh…a mammal. So uh…someone obviously didn’t do their research.’ He laughed as he plucked the photograph from Sam’s hand and looked for somewhere to stash it.

Sam watched as Gabriel dug deep into a suitcase and hid the photograph at the bottom. He knew the photograph was real. He could tell that Gabriel knew it was real, too. So why was Gabriel pretending that it wasn’t? Did Charlie know about the photograph? The background of the photo matched those of other photographs he had seen of the reefs around the atoll. It was no longer just a TV show following a rumor. They had actual proof.

He swallowed before speaking. ‘Pretty convincing hoax,’ he said lightly. ‘For a moment, I thought that was an actual picture of your sea monster.’

‘Yeah… Pretty convincing, huh?’ Gabriel said as he stood and faced Sam. ‘It won’t be used in the show, though. Maybe as a reference for an artist’s representation or something, but not the actual photo. Because, well…’ He dropped his eyes to the floor. He really wanted to trust Sam. ‘I-I took the photo,’ he whispered.

‘What?’ Sam’s eyes widened in shock.

‘It’s real. I was just following the rumors of sightings. I never expected to _find_ anything!’ Gabriel said as he took the towel off his head and wrapped it around his hips. ‘I was just out here taking photos of the island and the reefs. I just wanted to go somewhere that wasn’t a swamp or…or in the middle of the woods. When I heard about the sightings, I came right out. It’s the middle of winter. I didn’t care what it was. I just… I wanted to be warm. And then…’ He moaned helplessly as he buried his face in his hands. ‘It was supposed to be a whale carcass! I had a whole episode planned on rotting whale carcasses and trash being mistaken for sea monsters!’

Sam sat next to Gabriel on the bed as he listened. He grunted as Gabriel leaned heavily against him.

‘But, no! I had to actually find something!’ Gabriel wailed.

‘That’s…good. Isn’t it?’ Sam asked.

‘Depends on how you look at it,’ Gabriel replied as he leaned back. ‘Good in that there’s actually something here. Bad in that there is _actually something here_.’

‘I don’t get it.’

Gabriel sighed and looked away. ‘Whatever it is, it’s real. And that’s…that’s fucking _amazing_! But…if we present real evidence, then… Well, someone’s gonna come along and wanna catch it. Put it in an aquarium or mount in on a wall or cut it up,’ he explained. ‘In this business, less is more. Speculation and imagination.’

‘You’re…you’re trying to protect it,’ Sam said quietly.

Gabriel nodded as he wrung his towel in his hands. ‘We have all these amazing creatures roaming the Earth, but… We also have assholes that wanna cut them up and sell ‘em to the highest bidder,’ he said bitterly. ‘For every person that’s like me an’ Charlie…just wanting to get a picture or a clump of fur…there’s someone else that’s out there waiting with a gun. Thought we found a footprint once… We destroyed it. Then we ran around, acting like lunatics…whoopin’ and hollerin’, trying to scare of anything that was around. All ‘cuz we saw some drunk kook at a bar that wanted to bag himself a Bigfoot.’

Sam leaned down and kissed Gabriel’s cheek. ‘I think you did the right thing,’ he said.

Gabriel glanced up and gave Sam a small smile. ‘I hope so. Doing crap like that is _not_ gonna prove me right. But…if there’s a cryptid out there, and I manage to keep it alive, I’ll gladly be the crazy guy that believes in ‘em without any evidence.’ He laughed as Sam wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him close. ‘Anyway, I think crazy might actually pay more. When I was first starting out, the more…out there I got, the more people liked me and wanted to interview me. People love a good laugh.’

‘And your looks had nothing to do with it, I’m sure,’ Sam said.

‘Hey. I know this guy, Zachariah. Okay looking, but not exactly gonna be winning any beauty pageants. Way off the deep end on documentaries. In person, he’s normal. Still believes everything he says in interviews, but he totally plays it up for the camera. We’re not actors, but we’re still in show business,’ Gabriel said. ‘My looks may have played in my favor for getting my own show, but I got _noticed_ for being a fanatic.’

There was a knock on the door and Gabriel groaned as he slouched. ‘I’m almost ready!’ he shouted. He gave Sam and apologetic smile as he stood. ‘I’ll see if we can get things wrapped up before sundown.’

Sam got up and kissed Gabriel deeply. ‘You know where to find me.’

.-.-.-.-.

It was just after noon when the film crew returned for lunch. Balthazar watched as Castiel broke off and headed for Sam’s room. He turned to Gabriel and shook his head. ‘Your brother is driving me insane. He’s too distracted to be useful on camera and even worse behind the camera,’ he said.

‘Distracted by what?’ Gabriel asked as they entered the dining room.

‘Lunch is almost ready,’ Sam said as he finished setting out glasses.

‘Great! Cabana boy!’ Balthazar sauntered up to Sam and gave him a big smile. ‘Would you happen to know where you little brother is?’ he asked.

Sam sighed at the nickname and shook his head. ‘Dean’s my _older_ brother.’

‘Whatever. Where is he?’

‘I don’t know. Why do you—’

‘Where is he?’ Castiel demanded as he came into the dining room, brushing Samandriel and Anna out of the way. He stalked up to Sam and crossed his arms. ‘Where is Dean? I need to speak with him.’

Sam looked between Castiel and Balthazar. ‘About what?’ he said carefully.

Castiel stared at Sam in silence. Did Dean tell Sam about the sea serpent or the scales? He fingered the cord around his neck, pondering whether or not to reveal the scales to Sam.  He decided against it, just in case Sam was out of the loop. ‘I had a question for him, but I suppose it can wait. Will he back later?’

‘I don’t know,’ Sam said helplessly. ‘He doesn’t exactly…live here.’

Castiel sighed and looked away.

‘What is this about?’

‘He’s declaring Dean the loser of this ridiculous love triangle,’ Balthazar announced, wrapping his arm around Castiel’s shoulders. He gave Sam a shit-eating grin.

‘What? No, I… You’re the…the _loser_. We already talked about this the other day,’ Castiel said as he shook his head. ‘I just… I really need to speak with Dean. It’s important. It has nothing to do with our relationship.’

‘Wait, wait, wait!’ Charlie jogged up to Castiel’s side and nudged him. ‘So you and Dean are a thing? Like, a…real deal thing? He doesn’t have to worry about stupid ol’ Bal ruining everything?’

‘Hey! I’m right here,’ Balthazar said, giving Charlie a dirty look.

Castiel squinted at Charlie in confusion. ‘Why are you so interested? We barely know each other.’

‘But I know Dean,’ Charlie replied. ‘He’s my friend, and I wanna know if he’s…’ She bit lip and made a few amusing expressions as she fought for the right word. ‘…Got a chance?’

‘That’s not important!’ Castiel snapped. He pulled away from Balthazar and stalked out of the room.

‘He’s been like that all morning,’ Balthazar explained. ‘He’ll…probably be back later. And even more unpleasant.’ He gave Sam a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. ‘Good luck.’

When Castiel returned that evening, Sam was completely unprepared for the calm rudeness that Castiel displayed. Even Gabriel had been completely thrown off by his brother’s behavior. It was so bad that Gabriel had to bodily drag Castiel into his room to berate him.

‘What is wrong with you?!’ Gabriel hissed when he shut the door behind them.

Castiel huffed as he crossed his arms, refusing to look at his brother. ‘I just really need to speak with Dean.’

‘Unless you’re proposing to him or breaking up with him, it can fucking _wait_ ,’ Gabriel growled. ‘Well? Which is it?’

‘Neither.’

‘Then what is _wrong_?! No one’s dying. Oh, God. You’re not dying, are you?!’ Gabriel ran his hands through his hair and down his neck.

‘What?! No! I just… Gabriel, I promise, when I have this all figured out, I will tell you exactly what is going on, but right now? Right now, I need to speak with Dean,’ Castiel explained. ‘This does not concern you at this point in time.’

‘Did he give you herpes or something? Did _you_ give him something?’ Gabriel asked.

Castiel grimaced and shook his head. ‘Please, Gabriel. Just leave it.’

‘Chlamydia? Syphilis? Gonorrhea?’

‘We broke the TV while he was fucking me against the wall, and the hotel is demanding reparation,’ Castiel said evenly. He raised a brow as Gabriel shrank back.

‘Oh. Yeah. That’s kinda a touchy subject to bring up,’ Gabriel said. ‘Well…if he’s not gonna help you out, then I can help. It’s my fault you’re over there, anyway.’ He offered a small smile and felt a little better when Castiel nodded and thanked him. ‘Just don’t do anything to get blacklisted. I had to travel for about three years under a different name.’

.-.-.-.-.

Dean swam in tight circles around Benny’s boat. He had already gotten himself caught in the net twice, much to Benny’s annoyance. But he couldn’t help it. He just couldn’t think straight. Castiel was getting closer to Balthazar.

They were talking and laughing and being gentle with each other. They were acting like mates. He had been expecting Balthazar to make every move and show Castiel what he was capable of. That was how it was supposed to go. They were not supposed to act as if they were already mated. He and Balthazar were supposed to show Castiel what they had to offer. They were supposed to bring Castiel gifts. Show him how good they could make him feel. Show off their hunting abilities. Show off their fins and put on a good show…

Dean halted his movements, and he slowly came to a stop and sank to the ground. After proclaiming that he would win Castiel’s affections as a human, he had still been going about it as a mermaid. He still had his mating mentality running through his head, guiding him along. He was such an idiot. Charlie had been right. It wasn’t as bad as he thought. At least, he hoped it wasn’t.

Even as he reminded himself that Castiel and Balthazar were humans and playing by a different set of rules, he didn’t feel any better. How was he supposed to properly compete when he didn’t know the rules? He had TV shows and a few movies to go off of, but even in his short time of being human, he could tell that the rules of TV Land were something else altogether.

He went over what Gabriel had told him that Castiel liked. Sex and fish. He had already proven himself sex-wise. He was quite confident on that front. So what could he do about fish? Did Castiel really like to eat fish? Or was it just studying them? Would bringing Castiel a large fish work in his favor? That would be like proving his skills as a hunter. Would he want it alive, or…

Dean cocked his head to the side. He brought up his tail and spread his tailfin. _He_ was fish. Well…part fish. Maybe…maybe he had been going about this all wrong. He didn’t understand _human_ mating rituals very well, but he knew mermaid rituals inside and out.

With a few beats from his fins, he was hovering just above the ocean floor. He stretched his fins as far as he could and grinned. He couldn’t compete as a human, but he could definitely compete as a mermaid. And he would win.

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel was a picture of pure irritation and hatred wrapped up in a wetsuit when Benny pulled his boat up the dock in front of the Four Seasons. His eyes swept over the boat and found no sign of Dean. ‘He’s avoiding me, isn’t he?’ he bit out as he boarded.

‘Dean’s meeting up with us later,’ Benny replied.

Castiel nodded his head and set his gear down with a sigh. He pulled out his camera and looked up at Benny as they left the atoll. ‘I have a question for you,’ he said, breaking the silence.

Benny looked over his shoulder at Castiel. ‘I may or may not have an answer.’

Castiel tugged the pair of scales free from under his wetsuit and held them out for Benny to see. His eyes narrowed when Benny breathed in sharply and shifted his weight. ‘Dean said he got these from a fish that was caught in your net,’ he said. ‘I just want to know more about it.’

Benny looked from the scales to the camera in Castiel’s other hand. ‘I’ll answer what I can, but…not on camera,’ he said.

Castiel quickly set the camera down and moved closer to Benny. ‘How long was it? Male or female? Did it have gills or a blowhole? How—wait! I need my notebook!’

Benny blinked as Castiel turned away and rummaged through his bag. What had that stupid mermaid gotten him into? He raised his eyes to the early morning sky. What was he supposed to do? What was Dean planning? What had possessed him to allow himself to get wrangled into that crazy mermaid’s scheme?

‘Okay! I’m ready!’ Castiel said brightly. ‘How long was it?’

Benny exhaled loudly as he thought. As a human, Dean stood a little over six feet. His tail alone was about ten feet. ‘Somewhere around thirteen feet? More? Less? About that.’

Castiel nodded eagerly as he jotted down the measurement. ‘Did you happen to sex it? Or can you at least make a guess?’

Benny opened his mouth. ‘No…I didn’t check its sex, but uh…I’m going to guess male,’ he said very carefully. He tried to concentrate on steering the boat to where Dean had instructed him to take the biologist. He shouldn’t have let Dean talk him into this.

‘Oh! What shape is the head? What sort of species would you compare it to?’

Benny stared ahead as his mind drew a blank. ‘Not a terribly ugly face,’ he said. ‘Blunt teeth. Fleshy cheeks. It made some really annoying sounds.’

Castiel’s head shot up. ‘It was vocal?’ he asked, surprised.

‘Very.’

For the most part, Benny was able to be honest in his answers. When he saw the familiar spikes of Dean’s dorsal fin, he stopped the boat and faced Castiel. ‘Here. This is about the area where I caught it,’ he said with wave of his hand. ‘Don’t know if it’s still around, but, uh… Best of luck to you.’

Castiel looked up from his scribblings and stared at Benny in wonder. ‘Really? Thank you! Thank you so much!’

‘No problem.’

Castiel got ready as quickly as he could. He grabbed the camera and jumped into the ocean. His heart was beating quickly with excitement as he let himself sink down. He breathed slowly, calming himself before he kicked out.

The area was beautiful. Coral reefs spotted the area, and fish shimmered in the light that filtered through the water. He pointed his camera and began filming. Even if the outing was a bust, at least he would be able to get some great stock footage.

About fifteen minutes had passed when a shadow passed over Castiel. He glanced up, expecting to find a shark. Instead, he saw a green tail with a violet fin dart out of sight behind a reef. He barely managed to keep hold of the camera in his shock.

It was there! It was real! He had seen it with his own eyes!

It was getting away.

Castiel made a small noise as he kicked his legs. He went up and over the reef, but found nothing on the other side. Only more small fish flitting away. He sighed as he looked around. He was about to give up on searching the area when he noticed a spot of color resting on the sandy bottom of the ocean. He aimed the camera and zoomed in. The creature’s tailfin was spread wide and slowly lifting and settling.

Castiel swallowed and carefully made his way closer. He was about five feet away when the tail gave a quick beat and was once again out of sight. He swam as fast as he could, but every time he caught sight of the green and violet tail, it would dart behind another rock or disappear in a cloud of fish. He was getting frustrated. Not once did he see the thing’s head.

He swam up and floated a few feet below the surface. He scanned the area, but found nothing. Whatever he was chasing was smart. He checked how much time he had left, and it wasn’t much. He was surprised to find that he had spent the past half hour chasing the strange creature. He gave the area another once over and swam down to check around the reef. He found nothing.

Frustrated, Castiel swam back to the boat and pulled himself up. He set the camera aside and pulled off his goggles. He grunted in annoyance as he wrestled off his tank and stab jacket. He needed to get his spare tank ready. He pulled off his flippers and hurried to where he stashed his tank.

‘You okay there?’ Benny asked.

‘Yes, I’m fine,’ Castiel snapped. ‘I’m… W-Why is there a barracuda on my stuff?!’

Benny sighed as he tossed a small rock overboard and moved to the aft end of his boat. He sat back against the railing, crossing his arms. ‘Think of it as Dean’s version of a dozen roses.’

Castiel looked back at the fish. It was an impressive catch at about five-and-a-half feet. Dean had caught him a fish. That was…thoughtful. Certainly more interesting and useful than flowers. He frowned and looked at Benny. ‘Where is he?’

There was a splash followed by a loud thump, and the boat rocked as something large hit the deck.

Castiel caught himself on the edge and turned to look over his shoulder. Just near his feet was the tail he had been chasing. He stumbled forward as he followed it up, taking in every detail. The same scales that adorned his necklace…fins that had the texture of a marine mammal. The fins that ran the length of tail were like the stretched skin of a bat’s wings. He was staring at an impossibility. A beautiful, amazing impossibility.

Another step forward, and his eyes moved further up. His heart beat hard in his chest. The scales…stopped. Castiel’s face gave away his confusion as he tried to comprehend the fact that he was looking at a human stomach. His eyes darted up. Human chest. Back down to the fish-like tail. Up to the human shoulders. Tail. Neck. Tail. Face. Tail. Face. A familiar face. A familiar smile. Dean’s smile. He was looking at Dean’s upper body attached to a marine animal’s lower body.

Castiel tried to form words, but nothing came out. There was a pressure against his back, and he fell forward, onto his knees. He glanced back as saw the violet tailfin spread out behind him. He breathed raggedly as he looked back at Dean.

Dean smiled at Castiel as he splayed his fins. He clicked and whistled, promising Castiel that he was the best choice for a mate. He would protect Castiel from harm and provide for him. He flexed his fins up and forward in a dominating fashion as he pushed the biologist forward. He chirped out his mating proposal and snapped his teeth at Castiel.

‘W-w-what the…fuck. What the actual fuck?!’


	23. Chapter 23

Castiel glared at Dean. ‘You… Fuck you! Fuck both of you! I can’t believe I fell for this! I’m smarter than this!’ he shouted. He grabbed his hair as he shook his head. ‘Seriously? A mermaid?! You could have gotten away with a sea serpent, but a _mermaid_?! Out of all the hoaxes you could pull! What were you two hoping to get out of this?’

Dean leaned back and flattened his fins. He had prepared himself for a wide variety of reactions, but he hadn’t been expecting to be accused of being a hoax. He gasped as a bucket of water was tossed over him and Castiel.

Castiel slowly turned his attention to Benny. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ he calmly asked. He frowned as he noticed that the man held a gun. He met Benny’s eyes and raised his chin in defiance. ‘Threaten me all you want. I’m blowing you’re little scheme out of the water. My brother may be an idiot, but I won’t have _others_ making a fool of him.’

Benny sighed as he motioned at Dean. ‘You asked what I caught in my net,’ he said. ‘Well, you’re looking at him.’

Castiel looked back at Dean with a displeased frown. His expression changed to confusion as Dean offered him an apologetic smile while emitting a quite squeal. He leaned back a bit as Dean sat up. The violet fins spread out, framing Dean. ‘This isn’t real,’ he insisted.

Dean rested his tail against Castiel’s back, gently pushing the biologist forward. ‘I’m very real.’

Castiel caught himself on the scaly, green tail and gasped as he felt muscles move beneath his hand. ‘W-what…’ He reached out with his other hand and touched Dean’s raised fin. Dean let out soft whine, and Castiel gently wrapped his fingers around the fin. It felt like the skin of a dolphin. His breath caught as he felt a pulse beat beneath his fingers. ‘This…this is…’

He looked down, following the length of Dean’s body and to the tail. From his position, he could just make out the edge of a bite mark. The striped pattern of the tail matched the odd skin tone patterns of Dean’s legs. ‘Oh, my God… This is real,’ he whispered. He looked back up when Dean clicked and whistled at him.

‘Castiel, I want you to be my mate,’ Dean translated. ‘I want us to spend the rest of lives together.’

Castiel stared at Dean in shock. He was being proposed to. He was being proposed to by a _mermaid_. Or rather, merman. What would be the proper species name? He swallowed as he found his voice. ‘I… Rest of our…’ He struggled to comprehend just what was going on. His mind kept drawing blanks for what he should do or how he should answer. He cocked his head to the side, as he grasped the only familiar thing he could. ‘What is your average lifespan?’

‘My what?’ Dean dropped back onto his elbows as he stared up at Castiel.

‘Lifespan!’ Castiel repeated. ‘How long does your species generally live?’ he asked as he ran his fingers over Dean’s scales.

‘What? I don’t know! I don’t even know how old _I_ am!’ Dean chirped sharply as Castiel’s fingers brushed against where his fins met his tail.

‘This is amazing! You’re completely mammal!’ Casitel said, unable to contain his excitement. ‘How long can you hold your breath? Is this the average size for fins? What about your coloration? Is this standard male color and patterning? What about the females? Do they match the environment more, or are they just as colorful?’

Dean’s eyes widened at Castiel’s line of questioning. He couldn’t keep the distressed noise that came from the back of his throat as he looked away.

‘Dean? What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?’ Castiel asked, letting go of the fin he held.

‘No, it takes a lot to hurt me,’ Dean replied. He forced a smile as he met Castiel’s eyes. ‘It’s nothing.’

‘No… That wasn’t a happy sound,’ Castiel said quietly as he sat back on his heels. ‘Is there something wrong with your striping? Your colors? Are you… Are you considered too vibrant?’

Dean licked his lips as breathed in slowly. ‘Not vibrant enough,’ he admitted as he let his fins drop. He breathed in sharply as he felt lips press against his own.

‘I think you look amazing,’ Castiel whispered.

‘What…?’

‘Impossibly amazing!’ Castiel ran his hand down Dean’s chest and paused before lightly touching where skin turned to scale. ‘How do you change shape? Do you…shed your skin? Does it hurt?’

‘Uh… A little. You get used to it,’ Dean replied. ‘When I dry off completely, you’ll be able to watch.’

Castiel grinned widely. ‘So you can’t control it… How much water does it take? Can it be freshwater, too? Or is it just seawater?’

‘Any kind of water. Rain, too,’ Dean replied as he sat up and curled his tail around himself. He smiled as Castiel crawled around him, taking in every little detail and touching him.

‘What does your diet consist of?’

‘Fish and plants.’

‘What kind of fish?’ Casitel asked as he touched Dean’s spines. He gasped lightly as they twitched beneath his fingers.

Dean shrugged and looked up at Benny. ‘Fish. I dunno. Just…all sorts of fish.

‘He usually drags up crabs and tuna,’ Benny answered.

Castiel nodded as he began examining Dean’s larger scar. ‘This was a much larger shark than I’d originally thought… Oh! Can you communicate with dolphins? Is that…your language? Or do all mer…uh…merfolk speak human languages?’

‘Dolphin… Uh…’ He wracked his brain for what a dolphin was. He had heard the term, but he couldn’t place it. ‘What’s a dolphin?’

‘You don’t know what a dolphin is?’ Castiel asked flatly.

Benny walked past the pair and pulled out a stack of pictures from on top of the helm. He held out a picture of a dolphin. ‘This one.’

‘Oh, those! Yeah, I speak that. It’s easy,’ Dean said proudly. He gasped and quickly unwrapped his tail, accidentally knocking Castiel aside. He flattened his fins and hugged his tail to his chest and he forced himself to breathe slowly.

Castiel stared, open-mouthed, as fins fused into the shrinking tail and scales shrank to reveal human skin. After the transformation, he was staring at Dean’s very familiar backside. He lightly touched Dean’s shoulder and smiled as Dean turned to face him. ‘That was amazing! What happens to all of your bones? Can I get an x-ray?’ he asked as he began running his hands over Dean’s thigh.

‘X-wha—oh!’ Dean broke off in a high-pitched chittering giggle as Castiel squeezed his knee.

‘It will let me see your bones without having to cut you open,’ Castiel explained distractedly as he made his way down Dean’s calf.  He looked up as he held Dean’s foot in his lap, and his eyes settled on the merman’s penis. He tilted his head and pursed his lips. ‘Is it traditional for mermaids, er, folk to get cut?’

‘Cut? Cut what?’ Dean looked up to Benny, who was pointedly ignoring the pair.

‘Your foreskin.’

‘What’s a foreskin?’ Dean asked worriedly. ‘Is it broken? Is that bad?!’

‘No…uh… It’s this flap of skin over the head of the penis that uh…in some traditions will be cut off. You don’t have a foreskin,’ Castiel explained. ‘I could probably get Balthazar to show you, but then he would wonder why…’

‘Just show him a porno,’ Benny said as he moved about the boat. He opened a storage compartment and pulled out the bag where he kept an extra set of clothes for Dean. ‘You’re in jeans today,’ he said, tossing the bag to Dean. ‘If you’re gonna keep this up, you need to bring some clothes back. I can’t drop you off naked.’

‘You can drop him off naked at my room,’ Castiel muttered as he lifted Dean’s right leg.

Dean grinned as he let the biologist manhandle him. ‘So is this a “yes”?’ he asked.

Castiel glanced up Dean without lifting his head. ‘Huh?’

‘Being my mate,’ Dean explained. He frowned uncertainly as he leaned back. ‘Or uh… Well…it doesn’t have to last forever,’ he said quietly, remembering that human relationships didn’t always last as long. ‘Just…until you don’t like me anymore.’

Castiel dropped Dean’s leg and stared. ‘You…mate for life?’ Dean nodded, and Castiel swallowed. ‘You…you want… _me_? But I…I’m… I’m not special.’

Dean moved so that he was kneeling in front of Castiel. ‘Not to change your mind, but uh… I’m not much to look at where I come from,’ Dean said as he looked away. ‘I’m kinda bottom of the barrel. Just…thought you should know that before you answered.’

‘Dean…’ Castiel smiled as he cupped Dean’s cheek and leaned in. ‘I would love to be your mate,’ he said huskily as his lips brushed against Dean’s.

Dean pulled Castiel close as he kissed him hard. He did it. He finally found a mate! He pulled back and grinned stupidly at his new mate. He whistled and clicked how happy he was.

‘God, I wish I had my calipers,’ Castiel said as his eyes roamed over Dean.

‘What are calipers?’ Dean leaned back and gave Castiel a wary and uncertain stare. There was something about the smile he was receiving that he didn’t particularly like.

.-.-.-.-.

Sam looked up from the book he was reading when heard the door open. He smiled as Bobby struggled to open the door and maneuver an armload of bags inside. He set his book down as he came out from behind the main desk. ‘Need some help?’ he asked.

Bobby grunted as he hefted a few of the bags into Sam’s open arms. ‘You’d think we were booked full with how much those people eat,’ he grumbled. ‘At least that Alfie kid is on top of everything.’

They entered the kitchen and began putting away the food Bobby had brought.

‘So… You tell that game show host yet?’ Bobby asked.

Sam looked at Bobby in confusion. ‘Game show… Oh! Gabriel!’ He laughed as he shook his head. ‘No. Not yet, uh… I… I’m still thinking about it.’

‘Big decision.’

Sam nodded as he stocked the fridge. ‘Yeah, I just…don’t know how he’d take it…’

‘Well, whatever you decide, me ‘n’ Karen’ll stand by it,’ Bobby said. ‘Just don’t forget to give us your two weeks if you do decide to ride off into the sunset.'

‘I dunno, Bobby… I don’t think I’d be able to fit in,’ Sam said as he sat at the table. ‘I still make mistakes.’

‘And you think _Dean_ will fit in any better?’ Bobby asked with a laugh.

‘To be honest, I don’t think his crush is going anywhere serious,’ Sam replied. He frowned as he heard his name being called. ‘In here!’

Dean poked his head through the doorway, grinning widely. ‘Hey, I’m taking over your room. Don’t come in,’ he said.

‘What? Why?’

‘Because Crowley has a key to my room, and my idiot brother has a habit of not knocking,’ Castiel replied from behind Dean. He narrowed his eyes as he looked between Sam and Bobby. ‘According to Balthazar, you’re sleeping with Gabriel, so it shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll only be a few hours.’

‘Few…’ Sam stared Castiel as he tried to process what was being said.

‘We’ll air out the room when we’re done,’ Castiel assured him.

Sam watched in horror as Dean sniggered before being dragged away by Castiel.

‘Not serious at all,’ Bobby said as he patted Sam’s back.

.-.-.-.-.

An hour in, and what had originally seemed like a good idea had Dean bored out of his mind. Yes, having his mate’s hands roaming all over him was enjoyable to a certain degree, but Castiel was very methodical about his exploration of Dean’s body.

He sighed as Castiel tried to lift his tail. He curled his tail in looked up. ‘How much longer?’

‘Just a little longer,’ Castiel mumbled. ‘Can you… Never mind, I’ll… No… This isn’t working!’ He let go of Dean’s tail in frustration and sat on the edge of the tub. ‘This would be a lot easier at home.’

‘Home? Your home?’ Dean asked as he sat up.

‘Our home, I guess,’ Castiel replied. He smiled as Dean gave a happy squeak. ‘I have claw foot tub, so I’d be able to move around you more easily. I guess we could use the plunge pool at the bungalow, but I don’t want to risk Crowley seeing you,’ he explained.

‘Or…you could get I here with me,’ Dean suggested.

Castiel looked at Dean and let his eyes drop down to the slit that hid the merman’s genitals. He had to admit that he was curious. He stood, and Dean scooted back as far as he could. He undressed and smiled in amusement at Dean’s soft clicks. ‘I feel like I’m being catcalled by a dolphin.’

‘Trust me, I’m being nowhere near as rude as a dolphin,’ Dean said as he held his hand out to Castiel and helped him into the tub.

Castiel straddled Dean’s tail and licked his lips as he wondered where he should start. He startled as fins lightly brushed his sides and Dean’s hands ran up his thighs. He lightly grasped Dean’s hands, stilling them. ‘Just so we’re clear… I’m not having sex with you in this form. We may be able to negotiate handjobs or blow…er… _maybe_ handjobs, but…right now? This is a little weird for my sex drive,’ he said.

‘Are you still okay with kissing me?’ Dean asked quietly. He was answered by a soft kiss and a tongue lightly massaging his lips. He whined at the loss of warmth. ‘So that’s a yes,’ he said in relief. At least he’d ba able to carry out a proper mating ritual later—once Castiel lost interest in mapping out his body in a decidedly not fun way. He blinked in confusion when he noticed that Castiel was staring at his crotch.

Castiel reached forward, but quickly brought his hand back. ‘This is… Well. And I thought you were hung before,’ he said as he leaned back. ‘Is… Is it _supposed_ to be…striped?’

Dean looked down and back up to Castiel. ‘Uh…yeah.’ He grinned as he stretched his fins as much as the tub would let him. ‘My tail may not be much, but I know I’ve got a great lookin’ cock!’ he stated proudly. He reached down and wrapped his hand around his penis. It was light violet with dark green stripes. With his other hand, he used his fingers to spread open his slit.

‘Everything in the right place… Good size. Nice color and markings,’ he said as he ran his finger along the inside of the slit. He pulled out his finger out and rubbed his forefinger and thumb together, spreading the thin mucus he had gathered. ‘Right amount of this stuff.’

Castiel pulled Dean’s hand closer to his face and examined it. ‘And what is it? Is it more like spit, nasal mucus, or vaginal fluids?’ he asked as he sniffed at Dean’s fingers.

‘No idea,’ Dean replied in amusement. ‘It helps with healing and uh…sometimes making pearls. If anything gets caught in there or gets cut.’

‘You put this in that stuff you made,’ Castiel said quietly. ‘My back looks a lot better than it should.’

‘I think your back looks great no matter what.’

Castiel rolled his eyes as he set about pressing his fingers against Dean’s stomach. He slowly made his way down, and Dean giggled and clicked beneath him. ‘Shh! I don’t want them to know that I know!’

Dean nodded and bit his lip. His mate had been very adamant about wanting to study Sam’s behavior before and after learning about Castiel’s knowledge, and he thought it would be fun and exciting to keep it a secret. He let himself relax, and his erection slipped back into hiding.

‘Oh! Oh, my God,’ Castiel whispered. ‘You can control it?’

‘A lot better than human me,’ Dean admitted. ‘How can you stand i—oh!’ He bit off a cry as Castiel’s fingers pressed along the sides of his slit, and he slipped down, sending Castiel falling forward onto his chest.

Castiel grimaced down at Dean. The mermaid’s head was submerged, and he was grinning apologetically at Castiel. How was he supposed to properly explore Dean’s body in privacy and with the convenience of a decently sized tub or shallow pool? He’d be able to back home, but here? There was nothing. Not unless he found a good excuse to kick Crowley out of the bungalow for an afternoon.

Maybe he could persuade Crowley that he needed the bungalow for a private fashion show. That might scare him off for an hour or two.


	24. Chapter 24

It was early evening when Gabriel and the rest of the small film crew returned to the hotel. Gabriel trudged into the dining room and sagged into one of the chairs. He sighed to himself as he checked his phone for any missed messages.

‘Any word from Cas?’ Balthazar asked as he took a seat next to Gabriel.

Gabriel shook his head and tucked his phone away. He had kept calling his brother, trying to ascertain Castiel’s mental state. So much for rescuing Castiel from misery. He glanced up as Karen entered the dining room, carrying tray full of drinks. ‘Oh, God, thank you!’

Karen smiled as she began setting the drinks on the table. ‘Alfie called and ordered a bunch of mojitos,’ she explained. ‘Said you guys needed it.’

Gabriel took a swig and grinned happily as the coolness hit his throat. ‘Yeah. Word’s gotten out, and we’re dealing with the folks that’ll make up a story just be on TV,’ he explained. It was the reason they tried not to advertise too much before they arrived to any given area.

‘Dark blue and eight-inch teeth? The crap that guy was pulling outta his ass… We’ve reached the point where stories are starting to conflict,’ Charlie said as she sat across from Gabriel and grabbed a glass. ‘I mean, it’s annoying, but it _does_ give us more footage to work with. Our artist’ll have more options for our monster’s look.’

‘I hate the artist. Whoever they hired is an idiot. Have you ever read the commentary he sends?’ Anna said as she dropped into a chair. She pulled at her shirt and made a face as it clung to her chest. ‘I’d rather go back to sound design than read more about his fantasy world.’

‘Hey!’

‘Sorry, Charlie. You do a great job. I’m _glad_ I was replaced.’

‘I uh…kinda like reading them,’ Samandriel quietly admitted.

‘So _you’ve_ been encouraging him!’ Anna said, pointing accusingly.

Gabriel stared at his drink as Anna berated Samandriel. He couldn’t voice his opinion, but having conflicting stories would discredit the sea serpent’s existence and serve to protect it for a while. As for the production’s creature artist…the kid had a _thing_ for writing short stories to go with each piece he drew. He looked at the dining room entrance when he heard laughter and frowned at the sight of Castiel carrying a brightly colored Hawaiian shirt and looking happier than he’d ever seen his brother in a very long time. Behind Castiel, Dean and Sam followed. Dean was wearing only a pair of jeans, and Sam looked extremely put out.

‘You may wish to burn this,’ Castiel said as he dropped the shirt he held onto Gabriel’s lap. ‘Along with everything else in Sam’s closet. We found snow globes and tacky knickknacks. They don’t even qualify as kitsch.’

‘Burn it?’ Gabriel held the shirt up. It was even more garish than anything _he_ owned. ‘Yeah… Might just have to do that…’ He glanced at Sam, and caught the dismayed grimaced. The shirt was quickly pulled from his grasp, and he stared at Charlie in confusion as the redhead clutched the shirt to her chest.

‘I’ll take it,’ she said. She shrank back at the glare she received from Sam. ‘For safe keeping.’

‘Why do you even own that?’ Gabriel asked, looking up at Sam.

‘Tourists expect it,’ Sam bit out.

‘Do they expect the glitter-covered shells, too?’ Castiel asked. He watched in amusement as Sam blushed. Apparently, Sam knew his collection was not expected of a male human. He turned his gaze to Charlie and watched as she pointedly stared at the shirt she held, and he just what sort of things she collected. An arm wrapped around him, and his thoughts drifted to the inevitable collection he would be forced to put up with. Maybe he could guide Dean to collect more tasteful items.

‘Hey, I _like_ the glitter things,’ Dean said as he leaned against Castiel. He couldn’t help it if he liked shiny things. When he had first discovered Sam’s shirt collection, he felt like he had found a treasure trove of the human equivalent to a mermaid tail. When he had pulled the shirt on and faced his mate, he hadn’t been expecting the sickened look he had received. So he had gladly gone shirtless instead, which seemed to meet Castiel’s approval, but not Sam’s.

‘I’ll buy you some popsicle sticks and glue. We’ll put it on the fridge,’ Castiel said dryly. ‘Better yet, I’ll just take you to a rave. Get you some glow sticks. Maybe I’ll even get you some body glitter…’

Charlie looked up, grinning. ‘I love body glitter! Dean, you’ll love it! It’s the best invention _ever_!’

‘What is it with you guys and glitter?’ Balthazar asked, looking between Sam, Dean, and Charlie.

‘Upbringing,’ Sam replied.

‘Nostalgia,’ Charlie added. ‘When we were kids…it was… They were good times.’

‘Except the part with the shark,’ Dean said offhandedly.

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel grinned as he hopped onto Sam’s bed to pull his pants off. ‘Stop worrying about them!’ he whined as he tossed his clothing into the corner.

Sam glanced at Gabriel before turning back to watch his brother being dragged up the hallway by Castiel. He grunted as Gabriel forcefully pulled him away and shut the door. ‘Sorry… I’m just…worried?’

He didn’t know how to express how he felt. On one hand, he was glad that Dean was out of his funk, but on the other…Dean was acting suspicious. He was behaving way too innocently, and Sam wasn’t quite certain if he even wanted to know what Dean had done. The only thing he could think of was that Dean was going to reveal himself. And soon. Once that happened, it would only be a matter of time until Gabriel found out. Maybe he should make the first move… Let Gabriel find out from him instead of from Castiel.

Gabriel pushed Sam onto the bed and straddled his lap, wrapping his arms around Sam’s neck. ‘They’ll be fine. Or fine enough. Cas is happy, and as weird as that is, I think we should let them be happy,’ he said softly before kissing Sam. ‘So stop focusing on _them_ , and focus on us. And losing a few layers.’

‘You’re right…it’s probably nothing,’ Sam relented. He laced his fingers through Gabriel’s hair and pulled him in for a deep kiss. ‘I overheard the rest of your crew complaining about how noisy you’ve been,’ he said, nipping at Gabriel’s jaw.

‘Alfie has earplugs,’ Gabriel replied with a gasp.

‘Or…I could always gag you,’ Sam said as he lay back, pulling Gabriel with him.

‘Yeah, but I thought you _liked_ listening to me.’ Gabriel grinned as he pushed Sam’s shirt up and began kissing his way down. He moaned loudly as fingers gently ran through his hair and over his shoulders. He gave Sam’s shorts a tug with his teeth and chuckled when Sam reached down to quickly undo the button and fly. ‘Eager much?’

‘Very,’ Sam admitted.

Gabriel sat up as he let Sam scoot back and out of his shorts. He licked his lips at the sight of Sam spread out on the bed. ‘I think…I’m gonna ride you tonight,’ he declared as he slowly kissed and nipped his way up from Sam’s knees to his neck. He paused and reached into the nightstand, pulling out the small container of lube. He tried to ignore the smiling cherries on the label as he handed it to Sam. ‘Here. You get me ready while I work on you.’

Sam readjusted himself on the pillows as Gabriel turned around. He gently rubbed Gabriel’s right cheek as he felt a wet tongue run the length of his cock. He pulled the smaller man back a little and kissed at the balls positioned just above his mouth.

Gabriel moaned around the hardening cock in his mouth as Sam’s tongue teased the base of his own. ‘Mmm… Sammy, tha—oh!’ He gasped as lube hit his crack and ran down. Squirming, he rubbed at Sam’s thighs as a finger slowly entered him. ‘Don’t be a tease back there…’ He groaned and pushed back as Sam’s tongue lapped at his thigh before teeth gently nipped him.

Sam slowly inserted another finger, drawing out a soft, begging mantra from Gabriel. As embarrassing as the knowing looks he would receive the morning after were, they were well worth it for the amazing sounds that came from Gabriel’s mouth. He dripped more lube onto his fingers as he worked them in and out, enjoying the gasping pants he felt against his cock as Gabriel tried desperately suck him off in time.

‘More, more, more,’ Gabriel begged as a fourth finger was added, stretching him and massaging his prostate. ‘Oh, God, right there,’ he moaned as he raked his nails along Sam’s thigh. ‘Again, again, faster! Aa-ahh!!’

‘Ready? Or are you having fun down there?’ Sam teased as he pulled out his fingers.

Gabriel nodded as he turned around. He took the lube and pumped Sam’s cock as he drizzled it on. Moving forward, he positioned himself and lowered onto Sam.

Sam moaned as he kept himself from thrusting up as his cock was surrounded by lightly clenching warmth. Almost immediately, Gabriel began rocking his hips, and Sam thrusted in time. He tugged Gabriel down and kissed him deeply, cutting off Gabriel’s new line of begging.

Gabriel broke the kiss and panted as he slowed his movements. He gasped and moaned each time Sam’s cock pushed into him. ‘Fuck, Sam… Ah! Wanna…wanna take you with me,’ he said as he kissed at Sam’s chest. ‘Please come with me.’ He groaned as Sam stopped moving. He looked up and caught Sam’s worried expression, and placed his hands on Sam’s cheeks, smiling reassuringly. ‘Sorry! It’s okay! Just rattling off stupid crap. You don’t have to answer. I like to talk during sex. You know that!’

He tilted his hips and earned a pleasured hiss from the man beneath him. ‘And everyone knows I say stupid shit all the time, so don’t worry a—oh!’ His thoughts were cut short as Sam yanked him forward for a kiss and thrust into him fully in one swift movement. He gasped and cried out as Sam helped him upright, not stopping in his thrusting. ‘O-oh… Mm! F-fuck! There, oh, God! Don’t stop! Nngh!’

Sam gripped Gabriel’s hips as he stared up at him. His heart beat fast he drew closer to his climax and made up his mind. ‘Yes,’ he whispered. ‘Yes,’ he repeated, raising his voice above Gabriel’s moans. ‘I’ll go with you.’

Gabriel’s legs gave out, and he shouted as he came, Sam’s cock buried deep in his ass. He spasmed as Sam pulled him forward and hugged him close, fucking him to completion.

Sam panted and kissed Gabriel’s shoulder as he pulled out and let Gabriel roll to his side. Gabriel’s bright smile was blinding and made his heart swell. He could see himself spending the rest of his life with the shorter human, but that would be entirely up to Gabriel. If everything went south, he could always run away. He swallowed as he returned a tentative smile. ‘What are you doing tomorrow?’ he asked, hoping that he didn’t sound as nervous as he felt.

‘Besides you?’ Gabriel replied with a smirk. He laughed as Sam rolled his eyes. ‘Okay. Um… Nothing I can’t get away from. I don’t need to be there for interviews. And we can always reschedule my scenes. Yeah… That might actually be better. Get all the new _witnesses_ over and done with. So, I guess I’m free!’

‘How would you like to take a boat ride around the island?’ Sam asked as he propped himself on his elbow. ‘I can show you the sights… We could…go for a swim?’

Gabriel smiled easily as he nodded. ‘That boat next our rental, right?’ Sam nodded, and his smile dropped a little. ‘Is that thing…safe?’ he asked, recalling the older boat that was tied up next to their own. It was barely as big as the rental, and looked a little worse for the wear.

‘It’s perfectly safe,’ Sam promised. ‘Besides, I’m a strong swimmer. I’ll make sure you don’t drown.’

‘Hey, I can swim!’ Gabriel said defensively. ‘I’m just concerned that that thing might…blow up or something.’

Sam leaned forward and kissed the tip of Gabriel’s nose. ‘I promise it won’t blow up.’

He hoped he was making the right decision. If everything went well, then he and Gabriel could help ease Castiel into the knowledge that Dean was a merman. He highly doubted that a marine biologist would be as accepting as a cryptozoologist TV host.


	25. Chapter 25

For some reason, the _Jaws_ theme was playing. Very loudly, and a little too close to Castiel’s ear. He rolled over, ignoring the tune as he snuggled against Dean’s chest. Dean. Dean the mermaid. Or merman, rather. He still couldn’t quite believe it. He felt better when he didn’t actively think about it—unless he was completely focused on studying Dean’s marine features.

‘You awake?’ Dean asked.

‘Yes, but I’m not getting up,’ Castiel mumbled.

‘Well, your phone’s ringing,’ Dean said. ‘It’s been going off for about a half hour now.’

Castiel pulled himself up and looked over to his phone resting on the nightstand. _That_ was why the music was playing. Crowley was calling. He sighed in irritation as he picked up his phone just as the ringtone started again. ‘What?’

‘That damned cat of yours won’t get off the counter!’ Crowley said immediately. ‘And he’s whining at me! I have never met such a demanding beast!’

‘Did you feed him?’ Castiel asked as he scratched at his head. He glanced at Dean and offered a sleepy smile.

‘Jody’s been taking care of him just fine. Castiel, he’s _following_ me. Go away. Shoo. Yes, well, _I’m_ offended by you, too.’

‘Well, I can be by today. I actually wanted to take over the bungalow for the day. Give an impromptu fashion show…wander about naked…desecrate the plunge pool,’ Castiel said as he ran his hand down Dean’s chest. He hummed as Dean took his hand and began kissing his fingers.

‘Not today. You can have it tomorrow,’ Crowley replied. ‘Jody and I have a dive booked for tomorrow.’

Castiel let out a frustrated grunt. He was going to have to wait a whole day before he could properly examine Dean. He still had so many questions left unanswered. So many measurements to take. ‘All right. Well, I’ll be by later to take care of Muffin.’ He glanced at Dean as he hung up and frowned. ‘We won’t get the bungalow until tomorrow.’

Dean grinned and pushed his mate back against the mattress. ‘That’s fine,’ he said. ‘Gives me a chance to explore _your_ body.’

‘I suppose,’ Castiel replied with a sigh. He let his eyes fall shut as he felt Dean’s hands trail over his sides and down his legs. He reopened his eyes and stared at the ceiling as fingers began rubbing and lightly pinching his toes. He propped himself onto his elbows and gave Dean a curious stare.

Dean was settled at the foot of the bed with one of Castiel’s feet in his lap, and he was examining the foot from every possible angle, dipping his fingers into the spaces between and following the paths of the veins that stuck out on the top of Castiel’s foot.

Castiel bit his lip as Dean ran a finger along the arch of his foot. He desperately hoped that Dean didn’t have a foot fetish. He had dated a foot fetishist once, and it was a little too weird for his tastes—and he had done some pretty strange things over the years. His worry dissipated as Dean looked up, his fingers resting against his ankle.

‘Why are you so…I dunno…hard?’ Dean asked.

‘Hard?’

‘Well, this. I guess it’s a bone?’ Dean said as he tapped Castiel’s outer ankle.

‘Lateral malleolus,’ Castiel replied. ‘Medial malleolus is on the other side. Ankle bone. Bottom of the fibula and tibia.’ He watched in bewilderment as Dean gently flexed his foot before bringing his own up to compare their toes. ‘You’re…you’re studying _me_!’

‘Well…yeah. I don’t have legs. Er, normally,’ Dean replied. ‘And yours are different by just a little. Tails are completely different. Color, pattern, shape. You’re more…uh…different, but not as noticeable?’

‘Subtle,’ Castiel supplied.

‘Yeah. It’s pretty cool,’ Dean said before turning his attention back to Castiel’s foot. Sure, he had had himself to explore, but it just wasn’t the same as having someone else to compare to.

Castiel had a soft smile on his lips as he watched Dean slowly map out every inch of his skin. He was beginning to understand Dean’s earlier frustration over his own exploration of Dean’s tail. Especially while there was a hand ghosting up his inner thigh with no intention of delivering any form of sexual pleasure. Even the way Dean went about removing Castiel’s clothing was methodical.

Castiel let himself fall back against the pillows with a soft moan. He didn’t know if he was enjoying being manhandled or not. He was already hard from Dean’s light touches, fingers slowly running the length of his cock and around his balls, following his taint to his anus. He let out a pitiful moan as Dean coaxed his legs further and further apart. Obligingly, he brought his knees up and spread his thighs for Dean to get a better look, hoping the action would spur Dean into doing something more interesting.

A thought slipped through his mind. While he was performing his initial exploration of Dean’s body in the bathtub, Dean had been spreading his fins as much as the tub would let him, clicking and whistling softly at him. He sighed and pouted. His idea wasn’t going to work. This was revenge.

‘How long can you hold your breath?’ Dean asked as he stared at Castiel’s balls. They looked so strange to him. Everything was external. It made no sense. It was weird.

‘Mmm… I can go about two minutes…average is a minute,’ Castiel replied. He made no fuss as Dean guided him onto his knees, still hopeful, but not expecting any relief anytime soon.

‘Yeah, and you sleep the whole night,’ Dean said. He ran his hands along Castiel’s hips and thighs. ‘At first, I thought you were dead, but you were still breathing.’

‘Guess you probably sleep like a dolphin…’

‘Still…awake? Half-asleep? Gotta be able to come up for air somehow. I’ve actually been sleeping more in one sitting. Not the normal naps every few hours,’ Dean said. He went back to looking at how the human penis was attached to the body. He raised a brow as he watched Castiel’s hand wrap around the hanging cock. ‘Hey, what about mating rituals? What do humans do about that?’

‘Depends on the culture,’ Castiel replied breathlessly.

‘Yours.’ Dean sat back and watched as Castiel’s hand leisurely stroked up and down.

‘Dating, proposal…usually with a ring. Mm… Then a wedding and honeymoon,’ Castiel said. ‘Ceremonies can be extravagant or simple. Depends on the couple.’

‘For us, uh, me, it’s just wrapping our tails together and kissing,’ Dean said. ‘It’s a sign of trust, I guess. Shows that your mate’s not gonna drown you.’

‘We should try that out tomorrow,’ Castiel moaned distractedly. He gasped as he was pulled up and hugged tight to Dean’s chest. He moaned at the feeling of Dean’s hard cock pressed against his lower back. He was grateful that Dean was more easily distracted than he was.

In the back of his mind, he wondered how Gabriel would take finding out that his cabana boy was a merman. It would probably be a dream come true for his brother. Maybe he could convince Gabriel to let him get some measurements. His thoughts were cut off as Dean’s lips made their way down the back of his neck.

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel stared at the small boat tied down to the dock. Sam had insisted, promised, that it was perfectly safe. ‘Yeah… This ain’t happening,’ he finally said, stepping toward the much newer rental that Samandriel had gotten the film crew. He pulled the keys from his pocket and waved them at Sam. ‘You wanna take me on a magical island tour? We’re taking _my_ boat.’

Sam smiled as he shook his head. ‘If it’ll make you feel better, then fine,’ he said. ‘But I still trust this so-called “rust bucket” more than _that_ thing. It might have a pretty paint job, but you don’t know anything about the engine or where she’s been.’

‘Yeah? Well, _she_ has snacks,’ Gabriel said as he climbed on board. He took a deep breath as the small boat moved with the water. He could do this. He could ride around without a life jacket for an hour or so. There was very little chance that he would fall overboard and drown. He had a better chance of Castiel drowning him in the bathtub for eating the last of the ice cream ten years ago in a belated attempt at revenge. He heard his name being called and looked up.

Charlie jogged to the edge of the dock and smiled at the two men. ‘Did you ask Alfie if you could take that?’ she asked.

‘I had to get the keys _somehow_ ,’ Gabriel replied. ‘Besides, you guys are doing interviews. You don’t need me, and you don’t need the boat. We’ve got plenty of time for exterior shots and whatnot.’

‘So the rest of us gotta work while _you_ get to play.’

‘That’s why I make the big bucks,’ Gabriel smugly replied.

‘Uh-huh.’ Charlie shifted her gaze to Sam as he joined Gabriel on the boat. She caught Sam’s eye and raised her brows in question. She let out a long breath when Sam gave her a slight nod. ‘Well… Good luck, you two,’ she said. She waved as Gabriel started the engine. ‘You’re gonna need it,’ she added under breath. She reassured herself that hitting Gabriel over the head with proof of mermaids was the best way.

Gabriel stepped away from the helm and motioned for Sam to take over. ‘You’re still tour guide, so get to it. I’ll get the chips,’ he said as he opened the small door next to the helm and ducked below deck.

They had been out for almost an hour. Sam would point out areas of interest every once in a while and tell Gabriel about the local rumors and legends surrounding the atoll.

Gabriel had to admit the island was a lot more beautiful than he had remembered. Of course, he had spent his last trip triple-checking his scuba tank and camera to distract himself from the fact that he was in the middle of the ocean with only Samandriel by his side, so he had missed out on a lot of the scenery. Now, his only distraction was a nice view of Sam’s butt in khaki shorts—and his need to keep his hand tightly wrapped around the railing. He looked perfectly relaxed, except for his white knuckles.

Sam’s nervousness increased the further they got away from the island. He could still change his mind. Instead of going for a swim, they could just make out on the boat then head back. Gabriel would probably be up for that.

No, he had to tell Gabriel. He needed to reveal himself if he expected their relationship to go any further. He couldn’t keep making up excuses to avoid taking showers with the other man or why he would go out of his way to avoid the rain. Maybe he could ease his way into the subject first.

‘So, uh… I didn’t want to say anything earlier, but… I’ve seen your sea monster,’ Sam said as he cut the engine and dropped the anchor.

‘You what?! Seriously? You’re not fucking me, are you?’ Gabriel stared up at Sam. He hoped Sam was being honest.

‘Yeah, but I’m not gonna go on your show to talk about it. It stays between us,’ Sam said quickly.

Gabriel nodded his head excitedly. ‘This is amazing! So you’ve seen her with your own eyes?’

Sam stifled a laugh. The more the film crew referred to the ‘sea serpent’ as female, the harder it was for him to keep a straight face. ‘Yeah, I’ve seen them around,’ he replied.

‘How—wait. Them? _Them_?! There’s more than one?’

Sam nodded as he leaned back against the railing. ‘Yeah. The other one has yellow scales with deep blue markings,’ he said. He licked his lips and smiled softly. ‘Like…like sunshine drifting through the water,’ he said, translating his full name.

‘Where was it? I was to the south when I snapped my picture of the purple one,’ Gabriel said. His grip on the railing had eased with his excitement.

‘Well, I’ve seen the purple one a few times around the island,’ Sam said. ‘The yellow one…I’ve only seen here.’

Gabriel looked over the side of the boat, grinning. His shoulders slumped as reason caught up with him. ‘She’s probably long gone,’ he muttered. He looked up as Sam placed a hand on his shoulder.

‘Actually, I think they’re creatures of habit,’ he said. ‘They tend to stick to the same places.’ It was true of his species. Mermaids weren’t exactly open to change, and preferred to stay put.

Gabriel bit his lip and stared out at the water. ‘We should dive in and look for them,’ he said quietly. ‘Got some tanks…shit.’ He sank to his knees and looked up at Sam miserably. ‘We haven’t had time to refill the tanks.’

Sam knelt down and kissed Gabriel’s forehead. ‘That’s no problem,’ he said before standing and taking his shirt off. ‘We don’t have to go that deep to have a good time.’

Gabriel nodded along as he watched Sam strip down. The way the sun hit Sam’s body, showing off every curve and dip, every muscle… Every change in skin tone. He hadn’t noticed the odd tan lines that ran the length of Sam’s legs before. Sam went to the back of the boat and stepped onto the seat, and Gabriel frowned as he realized what Sam had in mind. ‘Wait. Skinny dipping? In the _ocean_?! Are you _insane_?!’

Sam smiled at Gabriel, his heart beating so fast. He jumped off the boat and splashed into the water.

Gabriel quickly got to his feet and rushed to the edge of the boat. In the water, Sam was smiling up at him, looking happier than Gabriel had ever seen him. He flinched as Sam splashed water up at him.

‘Jump in!’ Sam shouted. He was careful to keep his tail hidden beneath the boat and his fins down as he floated in the water.

‘Kinda diggin’ the view from up here. How’s about you do a little backstroke?’ Gabriel said with a laugh, covering up the nervous strain in his voice. ‘Besides, sea water and clothes aren’t the best mix. Makes me chafe.’

‘I’ll wait for you to undress.’

‘Don’t hold your breath,’ Gabriel said with a roll of his eyes.

Sam smirked. ‘Then I guess I’ll wait for you under the water,’ he said before dipping under.

Gabriel glared down at where Sam had disappeared from. He held his own breath to gauge how long Sam could stay submerged. It wasn’t long before he had to gasp for another breath. Then another. By the fourth, his heart was pounding with anxiety.

Castiel could hold his breath for about three to four times longer than Gabriel, and enough time had passed that Castiel would have to have come up for air. There was no way that Sam could hold his breath much longer.

‘S-Sam?’ Gabriel moved along the edge of the boat, calling out to Sam. He rushed from one side to the other, hoping to catch Sam in what he prayed was a bad joke, but there was no sign of the other man. No telltale sounds of someone resurfacing for air. ‘Please, Sammy… This isn’t funny anymore!’

He returned to the stern and bounced his palms on the railing. ‘Okay… Okay… I can do this. It’s just like diving, but you hold your breath. And you gotta kick. Remember, kick towards the light. Shoes. Lose the shoes,’ he mumbled as he kicked his shoes off. ‘You naturally float. It’ll be okay.’ He whined pathetically as he had a few false starts.

‘If you’re still alive, I’m gonna fucking kill you! Over and over!’ he shouted as he finally threw himself over the edge and into the water.

Water surrounded Gabriel, and every sound was muffled as his world was consumed with wetness. He needed to concentrate. He needed to find Sam and rescue him. And, somehow, get him back on the boat. He forced his eyes open and stared.

Sam was there. Sam was perfectly fine and smiling at him. Sam had a tail.


	26. Chapter 26

Gabriel stared at Sam in disbelief. Sam had a long, pale yellow tail with deep blue markings.

Gabriel let out his breath in shock and struggled to the surface. But which way was up? He kicked and flailed, hoping for the best. Something touched him. Was it a hand? Was it a tail? At least he was above the water. He reached for the boat, but he couldn’t get a grip on it. His arm came down onto something solid, and he latched onto with all his might, gasping and coughing.

A hand touched his shoulder, and he stiffened and shrank away from the contact. ‘Don’t touch me!’ he screamed. He ran his eyes over Sam’s torso. There was no evidence of the scales he had seen. Had he been hallucinating? He sighed and laid his forehead against the thing that was supporting him. It felt weird for a life preserver. He opened his eyes to take a look. It was yellow and blue. And scaly. ‘Oh, God!’

Gabriel let go of the tail and tried to move away from it, but he had trouble staying afloat. One moment, his head was under water, the next, he was half over the railing of the boat. He rolled ungracefully onto the deck as he was pushed the rest of the way. He stared up at Sam’s face, peeking over the edge of the boat.

He backed away, babbling. ‘Y-you’re a... ‘S’not real! You can’t be… Fuck! A fucking _mermaid_?! What the hell?! This isn’t real! This is a joke! God, please let this be joke!’

Sam pulled himself over the railing, giving a quick flick of his tail to give himself an extra boost. He dropped onto the cushioned seating on the back of the boat and let his tail trail over the railing. ‘Gabriel?’

Gabriel forced a smile. ‘It’s a joke,’ he said shakily. ‘You got me good. Better than the Jersey Devil prank.’

‘Uh… This isn’t…’ Sam pulled the rest of his tail on board and let it rest in front of him.

Gabriel’s eyes ran along Sam’s tail, plotting where Sam’s legs would lie. The only problem was…legs didn’t bend like that. But a tail would. And the tail was just a foot away from him. He whimpered and scooted away. Something blocked his escape, and he glanced up, finding the door leading below deck. In one quick movement, he opened the door and slipped below.

Sam winced as Gabriel fell down the short flight of steps. Before he could ask if Gabriel was okay, the door was slammed shut.

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel didn’t know how long he had been sitting below deck in the dark. It could have been five minutes or an hour. He was huddled on the steps, arms wrapped tightly around his legs, trying to figure out what was going on. There was a soft knock on the door, and he hugged his knees tighter. He had forgotten to lock the door! If Sam came in, there would be no escape.

‘Gabriel? Look, I’m sorry,’ Sam said. ‘Will you come out? I uh…look human again… If that helps.’

‘Go away!’ Gabriel shouted back. A few moments later, he heard the engine start and felt the movement of the boat.

He shook his head. Sam had a tail _and_ legs. Apparently, they were somehow interchangeable? How the hell did _that_ work? From everything he knew, it was impossible. _Mermaids_ —human-looking mermaids—were impossible. Castiel had all but made a slideshow, convincing Gabriel about the fact four years ago. When Charlie had read the sixteen-page letter (complete with three diagrams and five photographs), she had laughed her head off, admitting that _scientifically_ it made sense.

That brought his thoughts to Charlie. He didn’t know much about Charlie’s background aside from what was listed on her resume. Under ‘Skills and Talents’, she had listed ‘mermaid.’ Sam and Charlie were childhood friends. And just _where_ was that childhood spent?

Gabriel felt sick to his stomach as he thought about it. Charlie was a mermaid, too. With the way she avoided water, she _had_ to be. That had to be the key. Like that stupid Tom Hanks movie. No wonder Sam had such lame excuses for not wanting to take a shower with him. Why didn’t Charlie tell him? Actually _tell_ him? He thought they were friends! Did Gilda know?

And then there was Sam’s brother… He groaned and buried his head in his knees. The news would break Castiel. There was no way that his poor baby brother would take it well. Especially when he wasn’t even open to the idea of the more mythological cryptids.

Staring into the darkness, Gabriel lost track of time and his thoughts. Sam was a mermaid. Dean was a mermaid. _Charlie_ was a mermaid. Who the hell else was a mermaid? Samandriel wasn’t. He’d sent that poor kid on coffee runs in torrential downpours without an umbrella before. Walked in on him plenty of times in the shower. Anna had once entered a wet T-shirt contest when plastered. Balthazar was in the clear—he had a diving certificate and had worked on underwater filming before. What about the hotel owners? What about dear, sweet Karen? And her grumpy husband?

Gabriel shuddered as he tried to imagine Bobby as a merman.

Just as his blind panic was beginning to lift, he felt the boat slow to a stop. Dread gripped his stomach, and he waited silently, listening for Sam to leave. Would he swim away? He was lucky Sam had actually brought them back to the hotel. At least, he hoped it was the hotel and not the other side of the island. Then again, the walk would probably do him some good.

He flinched at the knock behind him.

‘We’re back,’ Sam said quietly. ‘I…I’ll just stay out of your way. I’d appreciate if you didn’t say anything.’

Gabriel almost laughed. Who could he say anything to? Who would _believe_ him?! He waited, listening to Sam’s steps and the gentle splashes of water against the boat. When he figured he had waited long enough, he stood shakily and opened the door.

Tightly clutching the side of the door, he poked his head out into the fresh air and bright sun. He cursed as he was forced to shut his eyes against the light, hoping that no one was out there waiting for him. He blinked rapidly as his eyes teared up. There was no sign of Sam. That was good, right?

His legs felt like jelly, and he stumbled as he stepped onto the pier. Warily, he made his way back to the hotel. Even if he wanted to go somewhere else, he would need to get his stuff first. But how would he justify it to the rest of the crew without sounding crazy?

He reached the hotel and took a few deep breaths before opening the front door. He quickly ducked down the hallway, thankful that the lobby was vacant. He just needed to get to the safety of his room and sort out his thoughts. Figure out what he should do. He paused outside of Sam’s room, but hurried on his way, shaking his head. He rounded the corner and bumped into someone as they were coming down the stairs.

‘Woah! Watch it, there!’ Charlie said as she caught herself.

Gabriel backed up and pressed himself flat against the wall. He stared at Charlie with wide eyes. ‘No. No, you stay away from me, you…you…lying fish-person!’

Charlie breathed in sharply and didn’t move as Gabriel edged around her.

Gabriel carefully made his way up the steps, one at a time, not taking his eyes off of Charlie. He reached the top, and she raised her hand just as his foot came down on a nonexistent step. He righted himself and made a beeline to his room. He threw open the door and made an indistinct whine at the sight that greeted him.

Right in the center of the room were Castiel and Dean—lips locked and completely oblivious to his presence.

‘Y-you! Get off him!’ Gabriel shouted as he went up to Dean. He grabbed Dean by the arm and dragged him away from Castiel. ‘Go! Shoo! You horrible, lying fish!’

He managed to shove Dean out the door and slammed it shut before turning to face his brother. ‘This is so fucked up!’ he moaned as he moved to sit on the bed. ‘I don’t care if you don’t believe me, but they’re fish! Awful, rotten, lying, fish that lure unsuspecting men to their doom! Just like sirens! They’re evil sirens bent on ruining my sanity!’

Gabriel looked up at Castiel miserably. ‘He’s a mermaid! My Sammy is a God damned _mermaid_! And so’s Dean and Charlie! I’m surrounded by fish-people!’ he wailed. As he stared at his brother, something clicked. Castiel didn’t seem at all surprised. Or even doubtful. It was the same look he got whenever he stated the obvious.

‘You knew,’ he whispered.

Castiel shrugged and looked away. ‘It’s…obvious in retrospect,’ he admitted. ‘I feel a little stupid for not suspecting something sooner.’

Gabriel’s mouth dropped open in shock, and he stared at the floor. Everyone had been lying to him. Why didn’t Castiel, of all people, tell him? He shrank away as Castiel touched his shoulder.

Castiel sighed and turned away. He didn’t like seeing his brother like this. He needed to fix it. He left the room and found Dean leaning against the wall, waiting for him. Closing the door behind himself, he turned to face Dean’s worried face.

‘Do you think I’m a…horrible, lying fish?’ Dean asked quietly.

Castiel laughed softly before leaning in and placing a kiss on Dean’s cheek. ‘No,’ he replied. ‘I think you’re a very thoughtful fish, and I probably don’t deserve you. Now, let’s see if we can fix this.’

They headed downstairs and found Sam and Charlie quietly talking in front of Sam’s room. As they drew closer, the pair of merfolk looked up and stopped talking, giving Castiel a wary look.

Castiel stopped a few feet in front of Sam and crossed his arms over his chest, glaring up at him. ‘However you decided to break the news, you did it in the _worst_ way possible,’ he said. ‘So before I help you dig yourself out of your hole, tell me _what you did_.’

Sam blinked in surprise and looked from Castiel to Dean, who gave him a lopsided smile and an apologetic whistle. ‘I uh…thought that just jumping into the ocean would work. Show him, y’know?’ he replied. ‘I figured the best way for him to believe me would be to see all of me at once, so… I didn’t mean to make him think I had drowned! I just…wanted him to jump in, too. And see for himself, and… I lose track of time underwater. I may have been down there for about ten minutes for all I know.’

Castiel narrowed his eyes as he listened. Nothing really stood out as particularly traumatizing, but… ‘ _Did_ he jump in after you?’ he asked. Sam nodded, and he groaned. ‘Shit. You would have been better off taking a bath with him. Or…showing off around the boat. He…he can’t swim.’

‘What? But he never said anything,’ Sam said.

‘He has a C-card,’ Charlie scoffed. ‘You kinda need to know how to swim if you wanna get one of those.’

Castiel looked away uncomfortably. ‘He doesn’t dive…well. He can go down and come back up, and that’s about it. He has to go very slow for anything else. He’s just not…coordinated,’ he explained.

‘Wait, so who the hell did he blow to get the license?’ Charlie asked.

‘He wouldn’t leave me alone!’ Castiel said defensively. ‘He’s paranoid enough about drowning that I trust him to pay more attention to his equipment and surroundings than a seasoned diver.’ He sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck, looking back up the hallway. ‘No wonder he’s messed up. He could have drowned.’

‘I would never—‘

‘ _He_ didn’t know that,’ Castiel said, interrupting Sam. ‘It doesn’t matter anymore. What’s done is done. Now, give me _one_ good reason why I should help you.’

Sam stared at Castiel. Was he getting a second chance? What could he say to convince Castiel that he was worth getting a second chance? ‘We…I…’ He gave up on finding the right words. He let out a quiet whine and series of clicks in response.

Charlie tilted her head and smiled softly up at Sam. ‘That’s sweet…’

‘Rough translation… He loves Gabriel and wants him as his mate,’ Dean said. He looked at Castiel and stuck out his tongue. ‘That was probably the sappiest thing I’ve heard from him since…well… Trust me. He loves him.’

Castiel sighed and nodded. ‘All right… I won’t force him to speak to you, but… Go soak in your tub, and I’ll talk to Gabriel,’ he said.

‘What good is _that_ gonna do?’ Sam asked doubtfully.

‘Other than letting him be on _solid ground_ —literally and figuratively?’

‘Oh.’ Sam ducked his head and grimaced. If everything worked out, then he would definitely find a way to make it up to Gabriel.

‘So you do that, and I’ll see about getting him down here,’ Castiel said.

Dean made a distasteful face. ‘Definitely gives him the upper hand. Those tubs are cramped,’ he complained.

Sam looked between Dean and Castiel, and his brows came together. Just how long did Castiel know about Dean? Dean had been acting suspiciously the previous day. Starting with when the pair returned to the hotel and took over his room… ‘What were you two doing in my room?’ he asked suspiciously.

‘Not being productive,’ Castiel replied in a clipped tone. ‘Now go. Before I change my mind.’

‘Hey, do you want my help?’ Charlie asked as Castiel turned away. ‘I mean, I never lied. I even put being a mermaid on my resume.’

Castiel shook his head as he walked down the hallway. ‘One thing at a time,’ he replied.

Charlie sighed and looked back at Sam. ‘Shouldn’t you be getting ready?’ she asked.

‘Do you really think this’ll work?’ Sam asked.

‘It’s Gabe!’ she replied. ‘He’ll bounce right back, no problem. He’s just a drama queen about everything. This is _nothing_ compared to when I ate the last of his ice cream. Oh. Word of advice: Don’t get between him and his sugar. He has to explicitly offer it to you.’

Sam felt a smile tug at his lips. ‘I’ll keep that in mind.’ He looked down the hall and caught Dean staring after Castiel with a worried expression. ‘Dean?’

Dean tore his eyes away from the stair landing and looked at his brother. ‘Uh… Cas has been acting…weird. Since this morning.’

‘How can you tell?’ Charlie asked.

‘If we’re not talking or if I’m not…keeping him distracted, he just…stares at the wall,’ Dean explained. ‘He never did that before…before I told him. And yesterday was so eventful that there wasn’t any down time.’

‘Well, everyone reacts to stress differently,’ she replied. ‘He’s probably just running things through his head. Figuring everything out.’

Dean nodded, feeling a little better. ‘You’re probably right. Guess I’ll just wait it out.’

‘You don’t think he’s gonna reveal you to the rest of the world? Use you as his next science project?’ Sam asked.

Dean frowned at the prospect. ‘I don’t think he’d do that. Sure, he’s really into exploring my body right now, and he’s got lots of questions, but… No. He wouldn’t do that. He’s my _mate_. He wouldn’t do that,’ he said before stalking off.

‘I want to believe him, but…’

‘Marine biologist looking at the discovery of a lifetime?’ Charlie finished. She nodded in understanding before looking up at Sam. ‘You _could_ say the same for Gabe. Cryptozoologist manages to find what he’s looking for.’

‘I guess we’ll find out, huh?’ Sam said quietly.

‘Hey, worse comes to worst, we’ll just skedaddle off into the ocean,’ Charlie replied.

‘I guess.’

‘Now, hurry up and get wet!’ Charlie said, giving Sam a light shove. ‘Gabe’ll be here any minute!’

With a heavy sigh, Sam moved to his bedroom door. He wished he had the same confidence and trust that Dean and Charlie had. He entered his room and readied himself. With each piece of clothing that came off, the faster his heart beat.

It wasn’t until he was in the tub and enjoying the distraction of the burning, stretching itch of bones shifting and scales growing that he realized he had been holding his breath. He slowly released his held breath and leaned back, wincing as a spine caught the faucet as he tried to find a comfortable position.

He froze when he heard the door to his room open.


	27. Chapter 27

Castiel tried to open the door to Gabriel’s room, but found it locked. ‘Let me in, Gabriel,’ he said as he knocked.

‘Go away!’ Gabriel shouted back.

‘If it makes you feel any better, I thought that Dean was pulling a hoax,’ Castiel said. ‘I was very impolite about the matter. I’ve only known for a day.’ He sighed in relief as the door opened.

‘You seem to be taking it well,’ Gabriel commented as he went back to his spot on the bed.

‘Well, they _are_ amazing creatures. They have such an interesting culture,’ Castiel replied. He sat next to Gabriel, and his thoughts began to drift. Dean was a merman, and everything he knew to be fact had been turned up on its head. How many others were out there? What other creatures were actually real?

‘Cas?’ Gabriel eyed his brother warily. He had seen the same look before—feared that he would have to deal with Castiel being in this state after he had tricked him into signing on for a second season at the same time he had been canned. Apparently, finding out about Dean had been the tipping point.

‘What?’

‘Uh… Do you remember when you were interning? And you found…er…Sally? Hung herself?’ Gabriel asked.

Castiel nodded and gave him a confused look. ‘Hanged,’ he corrected. ‘But, yes, I remember. What does this have to do with anything?’

‘You been really into studying your merman?’ Gabriel asked.

‘Well, of course! Why wouldn’t I?’ Castiel huffed as he crossed his arms. ‘Gabriel, where are you going with this?’

Gabriel shifted uncomfortably. ‘Yeah… You were really into the mechanics of hanging and asphyxiation… You were weird. Weirder than normal,’ he said. ‘And _then_ you freaked out.’

Castiel’s brows rose in realization. ‘Oh. That. The shock caught up to me.’

‘You _punched_ the funeral director!’ Gabriel cried out. ‘Cas, this is—’

‘This isn’t the same,’ Castiel said reassuringly. ‘No one died. I didn’t find any dead bodies. It’s just…something different.’

Gabriel shook his head as he looked away. ‘Fishboy’s gonna _love_ you when the other shoe drops,’ he muttered. He sighed and looked back up at Castiel. He was busy having his own freak out, he didn’t need someone else running around, panicking about their worldview being blown apart at the same time. ‘If you’re gonna stick with him, then you should warn him.’

‘Nothing’s going to happen,’ Castiel snapped. ‘I’m _fine_.’

Gabriel scoffed as he rested his chin on his hand. Someone was going to have to warn Dean, and it looked like it would be him. He was still reeling from being in the ocean and finding out about Sam.

‘Do you feel better?’ Castiel asked.

‘No.’

‘I have Sam waiting in his bathtub.’

Gabriel glanced up at Castiel. His bother…ever the scientist. He wondered if there was checklist involved. ‘Controlled setting, huh?’

‘I thought it would help,’ Castiel admitted with a shrug.

‘I don’t know… He’s a fucking _mermaid_. _Charlie’s_ a fucking mermaid. Everyone I know is a Goddamned _mermaid_!’ Gabriel wailed miserably.

‘ _I’m_ not.’

‘You practically are! You _live_ in the water! That’s what I thought Charlie meant when she said she was a mermaid. “Oh, ha-ha! So’s my brother”,’ Gabriel said, waving his hands about. He dropped his hands back onto his knees, and they sat in silence for a few minutes. He still couldn’t get over Charlie not telling him. She knew he needed to be hit over the head with information sometimes.

‘Dean’s penis is striped,’ Castiel said suddenly. ‘As a merman.’

Gabriel looked up, his expression torn between disgust and worry. ‘Uh…’

‘Purple and green. He’s your sea serpent,’ Castiel explained.

‘Striped?’ Gabriel watched Castiel warily.

‘Yeah. Reminds me of a vibrator I once had,’ Castiel replied. ‘It was pearlescent. Dean’s not exactly pearlescent, but there is a bit of a sheen to it. Probably from the nacre.’ He glanced at Gabriel and gave him a bit of a smile. ‘They can produce nacre!’

Gabriel forced a smile and nodded, having no idea what Castiel was on about. He didn’t know if it would be better for Castiel to crash now or later. He decided on later—after _he_ had figured himself out. ‘That’s interesting. Uh…Sam’s yellow and blue.’

‘According to merfolk beauty standards, that’s considered very attractive,’ Castiel happily explained. ‘The more contrast, the better.’

‘So I bagged me a hot merman,’ Gabriel said weakly. ‘Why me?’ he moaned.

Castiel shook his head as he smiled lightly. ‘Given the evidence…because merfolk have bad taste.’

‘Oh, God. The glitter-kitsch and snow globes,’ Gabriel mumbled as Castiel nodded. He picked at a piece of lint on his shorts. The seams were still damp from his dip in the ocean. ‘I don’t know what to do.’

‘Like you always tell me: Just…go with the flow?’

‘Like you?’

Castiel shrugged. The nervousness was drifting back, turning his stomach. What was going to happen when he got home? Would he ever get home? He didn’t have a proper job anymore. He would probably end up losing the apartment. The royalties from his stock photos and film wouldn’t be enough to cover it. He would have to find somewhere cheaper if he was going to support himself and Dean. Muffin wouldn’t be happy—he didn’t like change.

Gabriel glanced up and caught Castiel’s spaced out look. Castiel was going to _flow_ right into a spiked wall of pain. And take everyone else along for the ride. ‘Cas…’

‘You should speak to Sam,’ Castiel said without looking up. ‘He cares about you.’

‘Yeah…but…’

‘Ever had pool sex?’ Castiel asked.

Gabriel pulled a face at the slight urgency in Castiel’s tone. His brother would definitely be crashing soon. He really should have waited before making him sign the contract. Why did _he_ have to be the mature one right now? That was Castiel’s job!

‘Not that it’s any of your business, but yes,’ he replied.

‘Merfolk can hold their breath for a minimum of thirty minutes,’ Castiel said, his voice evening out. Facts were safe. Facts didn’t involve the future.

‘So?’

Castiel finally looked at Gabriel long enough to flick his eyes downward and back up. ‘Thirty minutes. They don’t need to breathe.’

Gabriel’s eyes widened at the possibilities. ‘Oh.’ He quickly shook his head, pulling his thoughts from the gutter. Sam wasn’t a shiny, new sex toy. He wasn’t anything right now. Right now, he was complicated.

‘I don’t know about Sam,’ Castiel continued conversationally, ‘but Dean doesn’t have a gag reflex.’

Gabriel made a strangled noise in the back of his throat. He was supposed to be weighing his options properly, not listening to sex tips from his brother. He needed a new line of thought. ‘But he’s a fish!’

‘Actually, he’s completely mammal,’ Castiel pointed out.

‘You know what I mean,’ Gabriel snapped as he lay back and stared at the ceiling. He sighed as Castiel looked away. ‘Sorry I flipped out on your fish.’

Castiel smiled and rubbed his arm. ‘He’s fine. I’d be more worried about Sam.’

Gabriel groaned and covered his eyes with his forearm. ‘Was I too mean?’

‘I explained how you can’t swim and how that exacerbated the situation,’ Castiel replied.

‘Thanks. I guess. Not that this is gonna go anywhere,’ Gabriel said. ‘Fuck… This is gonna be so awkward for the rest of the shoot… What about Charlie?’ He rolled onto his stomach and grabbed a pillow to bury his face in. ‘This is too fucking weird! I don’t know what to do! Do I fire everyone and stop the show? Do _I_ quit and get someone else to be show runner?’

Castiel bit his lip as he stared at the back of Gabriel’s head. The show’s demise would be his out. He would be able to get back to his life. Back to…what? There wasn’t anything. No job. Barely any friends. An empty fish tank. All he had was his cat and Dean. The anxiousness he felt eased away for a moment. That was all he _needed_ , really. Dean made him happier than anyone else had ever managed.

‘If…if this had happened a week ago…I would have said “let’s pack up and go”,’ he quietly replied.

‘And now?’

‘Now… It’s up to you. If you continue with the show, I’ll stay. If you leave, I’ll leave,’ Castiel said. ‘But…I’m taking Dean with me.’

‘So how’d you find out?’ Gabriel asked, propping himself onto his elbows.

‘He teased me with his tail while I was filming—we’ll have to destroy the film,’ Castiel said. ‘I thought he was your sea serpent… When I had to go up for the spare tank, he…he left a barracuda on my equipment…’

‘Ooh, barracuda…’ Gabriel smirked at the thought of Castiel finding a dead fish on his stuff.

Castiel smiled and leaned back on the bed. ‘And then he just flopped up on deck. I went off on him. Thought that he and Benny were behind a hoax. And then I realized…it wasn’t,’ he said, trailing off. ‘…He’s… His patterns follow the inconsistencies of his skin tone as a human.’

‘So…no prior warning?’

Castiel shook his head. ‘They’re not very bright.’

Gabriel sighed as he rolled onto his side. ‘I should probably talk to him…’

‘It might help you in your decision.’

Gabriel nodded. ‘Scales, huh?’

‘Just like a pangolin,’ Castiel said with a wide smile.

Gabriel sat up and pushed his hair back as Castiel went on about the shape and color of mermaid scales. He should probably get over his freak out before Castiel started _his_. ‘Right. Here goes nothin’,’ he said as he stood.

He made his way downstairs, and at the end of the hallway stood Dean and Charlie. Charlie offered him a friendly smile while Dean just raised an expectant brow. He stopped in front of Sam’s door and stared at the pair.

‘How’s it going?’ Charlie asked.

Gabriel sighed and leaned against the door. ‘It’s going. Where…I don’t know. But uh… Do me a favor and keep Cas entertained. At least until I figure myself out. Go…play in a lake or something. That should be good enough.’

Dean stood straighter and locked his eyes on Gabriel. ‘What’s wrong with him?’ he asked.

‘Nothing’s _wrong_ … He’s just…a lot of shit has happened lately, and he’s reached the tipping point,’ Gabriel explained. ‘When he finally snaps, just ride it out, and be ready to duck. He packs a mean punch.’

Dean and Charlie shared a look, and Charlie gave a short whistle and a shrug.

‘Yeah. We’ll keep him busy,’ Dean replied.

Gabriel grimaced as he watched the exchange. ‘You speak dolphin. Of course you speak dolphin.’

‘Hey. Our language is _much_ more sophisticated!’ Charlie retorted. She whined and clicked about how she wished Gabriel would pull his head out of his ass and mate with Sam.

Dean sniggered, letting a few clicks drift into his laugh.

‘I don’t know what you said, but I _know_ it was about me,’ Gabriel said as he narrowed his eyes. ‘Whatever. I can’t…deal with you on top of all this right now. One thing at a time. Just…go stave off Cas’s meltdown while I enjoy my own,’ he said before opening the door and entering Sam’s room.

He let out a shaky sigh as he shut the door and leaned against it. Looking around the room, he caught sight of Sam’s clothes neatly folded at the foot of the bed. He took a few steps toward the bathroom and froze in his tracks at the sound of water splashing and the squeak of skin rubbing against the bottom of a tub. He could just make out the edge of a yellow and blue fin through the bathroom doorway.

‘Gabe? Gabriel? Is that you?’

Gabriel swallowed and forced himself to move, the worry in Sam’s voice driving him forward. He entered the bathroom and found Sam sitting in the bathtub, partially turned and staring up at him apprehensively. He sat on the toilet and let his eyes travel over Sam’s chest and stomach, following the path of his tail as it curved over the edge of the tub and along its base. The fins moved slightly under his gaze, despite being pressed close to Sam’s body.

‘Gabriel?’

Gabriel folded his hands in front of his mouth and shook his head. Sam was everything he had ever wanted to find. Definitive proof that mythological creatures existed. ‘You’re a mermaid,’ he whispered.

Sam lifted the end of his tail, and Gabriel’s eyes followed its movement. ‘Yeah… Um… Sorry about earlier,’ he said.

‘Well, seeing is believing, right?’ Gabriel said. Sam was the straight up traditional image of a mermaid. Half human, half fish… No gills or extra fishy bits on his upper body. After he and Castiel were mentally back on track, he’d have to quiz his brother on just how it was possible.

‘Could have planned it better,’ Sam quietly admitted.

Gabriel shrugged. ‘How is this even _possible_?’

Sam sat up and struggled to get into a better position. He slipped, squeaking in surprise and sending water falling out the tub. He grunted as he pushed himself back up.

‘Are you…stuck?’ Gabriel asked as he watched. There was a bit of amusement to his voice. Sam was already too big for the small tub, and with the added length of his tail, the sight was almost comical.

Sam smiled and his fins spread a little. ‘I can always let the water out and dry off,’ he replied.

‘Do…do your uh…fins spread out when you’re more relaxed?’ The word ‘fins’ kept running through his head after he said it.

Sam blushed and smiled awkwardly. ‘That’s one reason…’

‘One…? Oh. Oh!’ Gabriel’s eyes darted down, remembering what Castiel had told him. ‘This is gonna sound weird, but… Um… Er… Fuck. What’s your cock look like?’

Sam stared at Gabriel in silence, watching the other man’s face slowly turn bright red. He laughed loudly and his fins vibrated as his shoulders shook.

‘Hey, I’m being serious!’ Gabriel said defensively. ‘Cas said Dean’s is stripy.’

Sam wiped at his eye. The question had completely caught him off-guard, but he felt better for the laugh. ‘Well, I’m a little stressed to be pulling it out right now, but it’s the color of my tail,’ he explained.

‘Weird.’

‘I dunno… I’m used to it. I thought humans looked weird at first,’ Sam said with a slight shrug.

‘What’s it like jerking off?’ Gabriel asked before he could stop himself. Why did his mind have to jump right into the gutter at serious moments? ‘Sorry.’

Sam shook his head and smiled. ‘No, it’s fine. Um… It’s kinda the same? Different? It’s easier to get off as a human,’ he said. He lifted his tail and spread his tailfin. ‘But there’s…more to do.’

Gabriel tentatively reached out. He held his breath as his fingers brushed against the scales of Sam’s tail. He ran them down and along where the scales gave way to the skin of the tailfin.

Sam let out a soft whine with subtle clicks as Gabriel’s fingers drifted over the area where his tail and fin met.

For the first time since entering the bathroom, Gabriel’s eyes went up to meet Sam’s. His breath caught at the half-smile. ‘W-what was that sound for?’

‘Like I said… More to do. And…it always feels better when someone else is doing it,’ Sam replied.

‘So, uh… How many…people…humans…er… I don’t know what I’m asking,’ Gabriel said as he leaned back.

Sam laughed softly and moved so that he was leaning over the side of the tub in front of Gabriel. He wrapped his tail behind him and let it drape over his shoulder. ‘I’ve had girlfriends and boyfriends that were human, but I never told them. And I…I had a mate once, but…she’s gone now.’

‘Sorry.’

‘Not your fault.’

‘So… I’m the first human you nearly drowned with coming out?’ Gabriel said. He was going for a teasing tone, but he didn’t quite manage it.

Sam looked away and grimaced. ‘I’m really sorry about that. I had no idea… You…you said you could swim.’

‘Yeah…I kinda use that term loosely,’ Gabriel admitted. ‘I don’t tell very many people that I can’t swim.’

‘Guess we were both caught off-guard.’

‘At least I didn’t sprout a tail or wings or…something weird,’ Gabriel said, gesturing at Sam’s tail.

‘No, you just flailed around. Kicked me in the head and stomach,’ Sam said with a smirk.

Gabriel winced. ‘Sorry. But you had a _tail_! You _still_ have a tail! You’re a _mermaid_!’ he exclaimed with a laugh.

‘Yeah, I kinda noticed,’ Sam replied, flexing his fins.

‘You gotta understand that mermaids…like you with the whole half-human, half-fish thing…are the one thing Cas managed to convince me are physically and scientifically impossible. You _should not_ exist!’ Gabriel said, waving at Sam’s tail. It was no wonder his brother had reached the breaking point.

‘Are…are you going to tell anyone?’ Sam asked quietly.

Gabriel sighed as he slouched forward. He shook his head as he stared at the floor. ‘Y’know… I always thought that if I found something, I’d be a lot more excited. Or…calm or just…I dunno. Take it better,’ he said.

‘You’d probably take it better if the creature you were looking for wasn’t someone you knew,’ Sam said.

Gabriel nodded. It was probably true. He was prepared to find a sea monster. Not find out that his boyfriend was a merman. ‘So, what now?’

‘Remember when I said that _you’d_ be the one to reject _me_?’ Sam said as he watched Gabriel.

Gabriel licked his lips and swallowed. ‘This is what you meant,’ he said quietly.

‘Yeah. Didn’t know how you’d take it.’

‘You didn’t think to break it a little more easy?’

Sam rubbed his neck in embarrassment as his fins pressed closer around him. ‘Poor planning on my part…’

‘Ya’ think?’ Gabriel couldn’t keep the biting tone out of his voice. He sighed and glanced up. ‘Sorry.’

Sam shook his head dismissively. ‘I thought it’d be the best way. Seemed to match your big personality.’

‘Yeah… So… It all boils down to me.’

Sam nodded and rubbed his arm self-consciously.

‘No pressure,’ Gabriel said with a weak laugh. What was he going to do? Should he leave and forget all about Sam? Distance himself as far as possible? Did he even _want_ to do that? What did he _want_?

He wanted Sam. He wanted _his_ Sam. Sam, who made him happy, made his heart flutter at the thought of running away together. Sam, who _actually_ agreed to leave the island with him and made him feel like he was the luckiest man alive. _His_ Sam.

He frowned at his feet. Sam was still the man he fell in love with. The only thing that had changed was the packaging. And even that was temporary. It was like finding out his lover was actually bald—which had happened once, and after ten minutes of laughing and wearing the wig, his romance had carried on as if nothing had happened. This was just a little more…surprising.

Sam held his breath as Gabriel finally stood and turned toward the door. His fins pressed tight against him, and he looked away. He looked back up and watched as Gabriel closed the bathroom door. His heart was pounding in his chest as Gabriel sat on the floor in front of him.

‘Okay. If we’re gonna make this work, then we need to set one thing straight,’ Gabriel said.

‘Anything,’ Sam breathed.

‘I can’t swim. Will this be a problem?’ Gabriel asked.

Sam laughed in relief as he relaxed. Of all the things Gabriel could have said… ‘It’s been three years since I was last in the ocean,’ he replied, shaking his head. ‘I don’t need it.’

‘But you looked so…happy. Happier than I’ve ever seen you,’ Gabriel said as he placed his hand on the edge of the tub. ‘I can’t…take that away.’

‘It was because I had the ocean _and_ you,’ Sam replied and placed his hand on top of Gabriel’s. ‘Really. I’m good with just having you.’

‘All right, then… Floaties it is,’ Gabriel said as he chewed on his lip.

‘What?’

‘If you’re gonna get me in the water without a tank, I’m gonna be wearing floaties or a life jacket or _something_ ,’ he explained. ‘Maybe even rig a few pool noodles together. What’s so funny?’

Sam managed to stop his chortles and grinned at Gabriel. ‘Sorry, it’s just…the thought of you, a grown man, wearing those bright orange floaties,’ he said. ‘Well, you’re short enough, you could probably pull it off.’

‘They’re yellow, thank you very much,’ Gabriel said grumpily. He didn’t move away as Sam leaned closer and kissed him. He closed his eyes and returned the kiss. Even with a tail, Sam still kissed the same.

‘I…I love you,’ Sam quietly admitted as he leaned back.

Gabriel’s breath caught and he opened his mouth to return the sentiment, but his stressed mind took over. ‘You say that now… Just wait ‘til you try to teach me how to swim. Cas didn’t speak to me for a week.’ He thinned his lips and looked down at his lap. ‘Sorry. I mean… I love you, too. I think. I did before, and I’m pretty sure I still do.’

Sam smiled as he leaned over the side of the tub. His fins spread, framing him, and his smile widened at the slight intake of breath from Gabriel. He closed his eyes and sighed happily as Gabriel’s lips pressed softly against his own.

His plan hadn’t gone great, but at least it didn’t end in disaster. And it was worth it to have Gabriel’s arms wrapped around him again.

There was a loud squeak, followed by a splash as Sam slipped and Gabriel tumbled on top of him.

‘Okay. Either you get out of there, or I get in. _My_ vote is for out because that water is _freezing_.’


	28. Chapter 28

Charlie led the way as she, Dean, and Castiel hiked along an overgrown trail. She glanced around, looking for a familiar landmark.

‘Are we there yet?’ Dean whined. He kept stumbling and tripping over tree roots and small stones, and his legs were getting tired from the exertion.

‘Almost,’ Charlie said distractedly. Her eyes landed on a large tree, and she pointed. ‘Just past that tree! There’s a nice, hidden pool back there.’

The trio made their way through the wooded area and into a small clearing. Castiel stared up at the tall waterfall that poured into the pool they now stood at the edge of. He gripped his notebook and tape measure tighter as Dean’s hand landed on his shoulder. He glanced at Charlie, who was kicking off her sandals. ‘And you’re sure you don’t mind?’ he asked.

‘I’ve already been looked over head to tail by Gilda,’ Charlie replied with a big smile. ‘It’s…kinda fun to watch. I uh… kinda get off on nerdgasms,’ she admitted.

‘And with Spot you get to see what a _proper_ mermaid looks like,’ Dean said, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice.

Charlie laughed as she shook her head. ‘I’m as far from a “proper mermaid” as you get. But yeah… White as a base color is probably seen as the best…’ She crossed her arms over her chest and stared expectantly at Castiel.

‘What?’ Castiel asked uncertainly.

‘I ain’t strippin’ ‘til _you’re_ naked,’ she replied.

‘Oh, um…’ He looked to Dean, who was already half undressed. ‘Well, _I’m_ okay with it…’

Dean looked up from unzipping his shorts and grinned. ‘I’m good, too,’ he said, letting his eyes trail down Castiel’s body.

Castiel set his things on the ground and began to pull his shirt off. He paused and gave Charlie a wary look. ‘Wait. _Why_ do I have to be naked?’ he asked.

Charlie rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip. ‘In case someone comes along,’ she replied as if it were obvious. ‘Then you can pop out and say we’re skinny dipping. Scare ‘em off.’

Castiel nodded and continued to pull his shirt off. He heard a pair of chittering clicks and whistles, and couldn’t help but feel like he was being catcalled.

‘She’s lying,’ Dean said as Castiel set his shirt on a nearby rock. ‘She just wants to see your ass.’

‘Hey!’ Charlie slapped Dean’s arm and gave Castiel a friendly smile.

‘I don’t blame ya’. Cas has a _great_ ass,’ Dean said, rubbing his arm. ‘You have an ass meant for porno, babe! Trust me, I did my research.’

Castiel shook his head in amusement as he stripped down. His boxers came off, and Charlie whistled appreciatively.

‘And I wanted to see the tattoo,’ she said as she stepped closer and bent down to get a better look. ‘Your sex tape doesn’t do you justice.’

‘My…’ Castiel spun around, blushing bright red and staring at Charlie with wide eyes. ‘You…you… How much did you see?’ he asked carefully. He didn’t feel particularly exposed or naked under Charlie’s gaze.

‘Gabe cut us off before you got anywhere _really_ good,’ Charlie replied with a disappointed frown as she pulled off her shirt and bra.

‘Well, I’m not giving you a private show, if that’s what you’re hoping,’ Castiel said, crossing his arms and heading toward the water.

‘What if we threw money at you?’ Dean asked as he struggled with his socks. He was getting better at dressing and undressing standing up, but his balance was still iffy.

Castiel stumbled into the water, blushing brightly. He couldn’t remember if he had told Dean about his short stripping stint or not. ‘W-what?’ he asked, trying to come off as if he didn’t understand the reference, but his voice shook too much to come off as casual.

‘Y’know? Like stripping. Putting on a show,’ Dean replied, oblivious.

Charlie smirked as she kicked off her shorts and placed her hands on her hips. ‘You’ve stripped,’ she said knowingly. The more she learned about Castiel, the more it made sense that he and Gabriel were actually related.

‘It was amateur night! I was drunk!’ Castiel shouted defensively. ‘Besides, you’re so-called producers did it, too!’

Dean grinned widely as he walked to the edge of the water. ‘Hope I get a private show later,’ he said. ‘I can throw Monopoly money at you, and you can seduce me. Like in… Which one was it? _Party Pole 2_?’

‘ _Lapping the Lap_ ,’ Charlie added, nodding. ‘That’s a good one.’ She caught Castiel’s surprised stare and rolled her eyes. ‘I don’t discriminate when it comes to porn.’ She ran to the edge of the water and jumped out as far as she could. After a moment, she resurfaced, flicking her tail out of the water behind her.

‘Come on in and show your boyfriend how we say “hi”!’ she said, waving for Dean to join her.

Dean clicked in reply and backed up to get the same running start.

Castiel watched with a soft smile as the two mermaids swam around each other, splashing water about with their tails and fins. They clicked and whistled back and forth, and Castiel tilted his head as he listened. Now that he was listening carefully, he could hear the subtle differences between them and the typical dolphin sounds he was familiar with. The sounds died down, and the pair remained underwater. He licked his lips before swimming out to where he had last seen them.

He reached the middle of the natural pool and looked down, trying to get a clue of where they had gone. He could see Charlie’s tail trailing along in a small circle on the floor, but he couldn’t see Dean. ‘Dean?’ he called out. He yelped as his butt was pinched.

Dean surfaced behind Castiel, laughing—his soft clicks coming through. He lightly kissed away the annoyed look on Castiel’s face. As Castiel kissed him back, he loosely wrapped his tail around his mate’s legs. Castiel’s arms looped around his neck, and he deepened the kiss as he let his primary fins spread out wide around them. They slowly sank to just below the surface, and Dean let out quiet, happy whines as he held Castiel tightly to his chest.

After a minute had passed, Castiel pulled away, tapping at Dean’s shoulder. He gasped for air when Dean brought them back to the surface, and he blinked away the lightheaded feeling he had. He glanced to the side and saw Charlie lightly skimming her hands along the water’s surface, blushing and avoiding looking in their direction.

‘It’s just kissing,’ Castiel said in confusion. ‘You’ve seen me jerk off, and _this_ makes you uncomfortable?’

‘Er… Well, from where I stand…or swim…whatever… It looks like a mating,’ she said, her eyes darting back and forth from Castiel to the water in front of her.

Castiel’s eyes widened, and he gripped Dean’s shoulders tightly. ‘Oh. L-like marriage… A ritual. Right. I almost forgot… I’m probably making a mess of it. What am I supposed to do?’

Dean frowned as Castiel’s tone shifted from frantic to monotone. ‘Well… It’s more intuitive… But uh… Hey! Let’s do it later. In private. Sorry, I uh… I got caught up in the moment,’ he said as he unwrapped his tail from Castiel, his fins going down to his sides and only flaring out enough to keep him afloat. ‘You’re supposed to be measuring us, not getting freaky with me in the water!’

‘You sure? You don’t mind?’ Castiel asked, his mind calming at the prospect of friendly numbers. Numbers didn’t involve confusing marriage rituals.

‘Considering I get to see your ass while you get your stuff? Not at all,’ Dean said with a sly grin.

Castiel nodded before swimming off to the shore.

‘What do I do?’ Dean whispered when Charlie came up to his side.

‘Well, he’s still…normal…ish,’ she replied.

‘He looked like he was about to break.’

‘At least you won’t be surprised when he _does_ finally break,’ she pointed out.

The pair forced casual smiles as Castiel settled on the shore, the water up to his chest and his notebook resting on a rock. He waved them over before he opened his notebook and began making a table.

‘For now, let’s keep him busy,’ Charlie said.

‘Agreed,’ Dean replied.

They swam to the shore and lounged with their tails still in the water. Charlie busied herself with applying sunblock while Castiel measured her fins.

‘I just don’t understand your coloration,’ Castiel mumbled as he compared Dean’s fins to Charlie’s.

‘What? The bright colors? That’s straight up nature,’ Charlie replied. ‘Better for attracting a mate, and it helps with keeping track of the rest of the colony.’

‘No… I mean... Based on your tails, I would have assumed that _you_ were the male and Dean was the female,’ Castiel replied.

‘Hey! _Very_ male here!’ Dean snapped as he crossed his arms and pulled his fin from Castiel’s grip.

Charlie giggled as she rolled onto her front. ‘He means that there are a lot of animals out there where the girls are camouflaged and the boys are flamboyant,’ she explained. ‘Not us, though. We’re _all_ flamboyant.’

‘Except me,’ Dean grumbled.

‘Well, yeah.’

‘But I would think that you’d all have a more camouflaged look,’ Castiel said as he lined his tape measure up with one of the longer spines at the base of Charlie’s back. ‘It makes more sense. How else would you be able to sustain multiple populations and never be seen?’

‘We move around,’ Charlie replied with a shrug. She flattened her spines as she yawned.

‘We’re smart enough to avoid your ships,’ Dean added.

‘Says the guy that got caught in a net!’ Charlie said with a laugh. She flicked her tail and splashed water onto Dean and Castiel.

Dean buried his face in his arms as he groaned. ‘It was an accident! At least I never swam head first into a…a…those underwater boats.’

‘Submarine,’ Charlie said evenly, avoiding Castiel’s curious gaze.

‘You hit a submarine? What happened?’ Castiel asked.

‘I bruised my head. And my ego,’ Charlie replied. ‘It was just a sunken one, anyway.’

‘So like hitting a parked car,’ Castiel said with small grin.

Charlie quickly brought up her tail and smacked Castiel on the side, pushing him over. ‘Let’s see _you_ chase a school of fish and not run into shit!’

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel was on his way back into the dining room when the lobby door opened, revealing Charlie. He thinned his lips as he stared at her. ‘I still don’t know what to make of you,’ he said.

Charlie smiled and gave a bashful shrug. ‘I’m still me,’ she replied. ‘Uh, how are—oh!’ She was pushed out of the way by Dean, and she threw him a glare.

Dean stuck his tongue out as he held the door open for Castiel.

‘Cas!’ Gabriel’s confused feelings about Charlie vanished as he took in his brother—completely absorbed with making notes in a battered and water-splotched notebook. ‘How’re ya’ doin’?’

‘Fine,’ Castiel replied distractedly. ‘I wish I had access to an x-ray machine…’ He walked past his brother and stopped in front of the dining room door.

‘Got it,’ Dean said, opening the door for Castiel before following him into the dining room.

‘I’m doing okay, too. Got myself sorted. Thank you for your concern,’ Gabriel said to the spot where Castiel had been standing.

‘He’s in a lull,’ Charlie said. ‘He does fine when he’s busy with his notes, and it gives us a break from having to actively find things to distract him with that won’t set him off. Just uh…don’t mention anything relationship related. Or his old job. Or his new job.’

Gabriel sighed heavily and nodded before heading into the dining room. ‘Thanks,’ he said quietly, making sure the rest of the crew couldn’t hear. ‘I’m good to go if you’re ready to break him.’

‘Then we’ll just stop being careful and let it happen. Don’t see any reason to push it,’ Charlie said as she stood next to Gabriel and watched Dean pull out a chair for Castiel. Dean glanced up at her, and she gave him a grin and a thumbs-up. He nodded and looked down before taking a seat next to Castiel.

‘Cas. Cassie. Hey, Cassie-belle!’ Balthazar tapped his glass on the table in front of Castiel to get his attention. He grinned when Castiel’s head shot up and the notebook snapped shut loudly. ‘Welcome back.’

Castiel stared at Balthazar with wide eyes. He looked around the table and saw the rest of the film crew looking at him. Had anyone seen what he was writing? It was mostly shorthand and numbers, but what if they could still make something out?

‘So where’ve _you_ been all afternoon?’ Balthazar asked, glancing knowingly between Castiel and Dean.

‘W-what?’ Castiel swallowed. Did Balthazar know?

‘Thought you were gonna help edit. Pick out some underwater shots,’ Balthazar explained. ‘You could have just said you wanted to ditch to play with your new boytoy.’

‘We weren’t…’ Castiel’s mind caught up with what Balthazar had just said. He was in the clear. No one knew. Dean’s secret was still safe. ‘I’m sorry. I completely forgot.’

‘It’s fine,’ Balthazar replied before taking a swig of his drink. ‘You just lost any creative input is all.’

‘Oh… Okay.’

‘Ass shots galore.’

Castiel’s shoulders slumped. That was not how he wanted to be immortalized.

‘Oh, and your boyfriend called.’

Castiel frowned and looked at Dean. ‘You have a phone?’

‘Your _other_ boyfriend,’ Balthazar reiterated as Dean shook his head. ‘Crowley.’

‘Oh.’ Castiel pulled his phone from his pocket, wondering why Crowley hadn’t bothered to call him directly. He grunted in annoyance when he realized that his phone was dead. He looked back up at Balthazar expectantly.

‘He said the bungalow’s free tomorrow, and that he’ll know if you touched the bed,’ Balthazar said, looking between Castiel and Dean. He rolled his eyes at Dean’s friendly smile. At least Castiel had the decency to blush. ‘And your uh… _box_ is next to the TV.’

‘Oh. Good.’ Castiel smiled as he licked his lips. He couldn’t wait to show off his costume in front of Dean. He hoped he was still the same size.

‘Do I even want to know what’s in the box?’

‘Probably not.’

Balthazar leaned back in his chair and chewed his lip in contemplation. Given the new information he had about his ex… ‘Is it bondage related?’

‘That’s in a different box,’ Castiel automatically replied.

‘What?!’ Balthazar stood up suddenly, making his chair fall over. ‘How— Why—?! Why didn’t… Argh! I am _never_ going to find a kinky, nerdy…sexual deviant again! Right under my nose the entire time!’

Castiel rubbed the cover of his notebook self-consciously. ‘I’m not nerdy,’ he quietly argued.

Balthazar threw his hands in the air as everyone around them laughed. Grumbling about the unfairness in the world, he left the dining room.

Alfie watched in amusement as Balthazar left. ‘Maybe I should let _him_ answer Miss Kismet’s letters,’ he said.

‘Why? She threaten to tie you up and spank you?’ Anna asked.

‘That’s the short version, yes,’ Alfie replied.

Castiel frowned as the name rang through his head. He knew a few Kismets when he and Crowley had hung around Lucifer and Michael. ‘Kismet? Does she have two sisters?’

‘Yeah. She’s the youngest. You know them?’

Castiel took a deep breath. ‘In a way.’

‘Which one did you sleep with?’ Gabriel asked in a tired tone as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

‘We went to some of the same…parties,’ Castiel replied. He could feel his face heating up. In all honesty, he couldn’t remember if really had slept with any of the three Kismet sisters.

‘You—’ Gabriel broke off, shaking his head. He didn’t want to get into this conversation with his brother just yet. He was still too worked up about Sam, and Castiel was on the verge of a mental breakdown. When they were both back in their right minds, _then_ he would corner his baby brother and interrogate him. ‘Never mind. You want a drink?’

‘What?’ Castiel was thrown by the sudden change in subject.

‘Sam’s making margaritas. They’re really good. Never woulda thought someone like _him_ could make one,’ Gabriel replied.

‘Someone like him?’ Anna repeated. ‘He is the ultimate handyman! I’d be surprised if he _couldn’t_ make a simple margarita!’

‘Well, it did take me a few days to learn a decent recipe,’ Sam said as he set a tray of drinks on the table. He glanced at Castiel and gave him an uncertain smile. He sighed in relief when he received and uneasy smile in return.

.-.-.-.-.

That night in bed and wrapped securely in Dean’s arms, Castiel’s heart raced. Tomorrow he would essentially be getting married. Were there supposed to be witnesses? Would Muffin qualify as a witness? What if he did something wrong? Would Dean hate him? Was he supposed to give Dean something to signify their relationship?

A soft, trilling whistle drifted through the air, and Castiel relaxed as he focused on the sound. It stopped for a moment and he felt a kiss on the back of his head.

‘Cas? You okay?’ Dean asked.

‘I’m fine,’ Castiel insisted. He refused to believe that his brother was right, and that he was about to freak out over the turn his life had taken. He was just a little stressed. He could deal with it. So what if he had lost his job and was stuck on some joke of a show halfway around the world? So what if mythological creatures were real and he was currently sleeping with one? So what if…

The soft trill was back, and Castiel smiled as he listened. It wasn’t exactly a song or particularly pretty. But he found comfort in in nonetheless. If he had to pick a sound that it was similar to, he would have to say it was like a constant, chirpy purr. He breathed a soft sigh as he closed his eyes. ‘I’m fine.’


	29. Chapter 29

Dean stared at the plunge pool in apprehension. Sam had warned him about drying out after swimming in water with chlorine. He looked over the edge of the deck to the water below. If it came down to it, he could probably pull himself over the pool’s edge and drop right into the ocean, rinse off the chlorine, then hoist himself onto the steps that led from the water up to the deck. If anyone came along before he dried out, then he could easily swim off.

‘Is something wrong?’ Castiel asked as he came up beside Dean. In his arms, he held a medium-sized box.

‘Just planning how to wash off the chlorine,’ Dean replied as he faced Castiel. Just over Castiel’s shoulder, he could see Muffin pacing back and forth, locked inside. He looked down at the box and frowned at the series of squiggles on the side. There was a pattern to them, but it didn’t look like a drawing. ‘What’s that?’

‘Oh, my costume!’ Castiel happily replied.

‘No, I mean the lines,’ Dean said, pointing.

Castiel turned the box and looked at where Dean was pointing. ‘Um… Writing? Can you… I thought you could read?’

‘Yeah, I learned, but that’s not words,’ Dean said.

Castiel’s shoulders slumped as he stared forlornly at the top of the box. He knew he didn’t have the best handwriting in the world, but he didn’t think it was _that_ bad. No one else had ever complained.

‘I mean, it looks nice, but I can’t read it,’ Dean explained. ‘Is it a different language?’

‘It’s cursive,’ Castiel mumbled self-consciously as he set the box down.

‘What’s cursive?’

Castiel looked up as he opened the box and began pulling out the skirt from his costume. ‘It’s writ— Wait. It’s _cursive_ that you can’t read. You can read print, but not cursive. Um… The letters within each word are connected. It says “Ariel Costume”,’ he said as he pointed to each word on the box.

Dean crouched down and licked his lips as he stared at the words. He could make out some of the letters now. ‘Looks real pretty… But uh…I think you need to work on your S and M.’

Castiel stared at Dean with wide eyes. ‘O-okay,’ he stuttered in reply, barely able to keep the sudden bout of laughter that threatened to surface under control.

‘What?’ Dean glanced up and frowned at Castiel. He reran what he had said through his head, but wasn’t able to find anything wrong with it. He shrugged it off as Castiel shook his head. He figured that if he ever said anything _really_ weird and embarrassing, then Castiel would correct him.

Castiel went back to pulling out the rest of his costume, setting the boots aside. ‘Okay… I’m not ruining my boots, but besides those, what do you want me to wear?’ he asked. He looked up as he heard a splash and watched as Dean squirmed under the water’s surface. He smiled as Dean settled on the side of the pool, resting on his elbows.

Dean’s fins were spread out, and his tail lazily floated from side to side behind him. ‘No purple shells,’ he said as he looked over what Castiel had laid out. ‘And no uh… The fake scales you had on your legs. I wanna see _your_ legs.’

‘Tights. Okay. What about jewelry? Or makeup?’ Castiel asked as he raised a pair of earrings and a necklace.

‘Those are pretty,’ Dean said. He made a happy whistle as he took an earring and looked at it from every angle, admiring how it sparkled under the sunlight. Seeing the earring in his hand, he had to wonder just how it would be worn—he had forgotten to ask Charlie how hers were attached. ‘Earrings and…wear my scales instead of _that_ necklace.’ He handed the earring back and stared at the compact that Castiel held. ‘What’s that?’

‘Makeup. Uh…I don’t have everything that I would usually use, but…eye shadow, lipstick… Body glitter?’ Castiel replied, reluctantly mentioning the body glitter.

Dean’s fins vibrated with excitement as he lit up at the prospect of his mate sparkling in his arms. He squeaked and nodded eagerly.

Castiel smiled as he set the compact back with the rest of his makeup. ‘So…skirt, jewelry, and makeup. Panties? Yes or no?’ he asked as he lifted the glittery garment and stretched it between his thumbs.

Dean ran his eyes over the panties. They sparkled brightly, but they would cover Castiel’s crotch. He licked his lips and slowly shook his head. ‘Maybe later,’ he said. He watched as Castiel gathered everything into the skirt and stood. ‘Where are you going?’ he asked as Castiel turned away.

‘To change?’

‘You can’t do it here?’ Dean asked, disappointed.

Castiel looked around. No one else was in sight. They were lucky in that they were in one of the bungalows on the end of the long pier—away from the prying eyes of other guests. ‘I guess I can,’ he said as he set everything onto a table and began to undress.

He pulled his skirt around his hips and sighed in relief as he attached the hooks and buttoned it up. He ran his thumbs around the waistband, smiling to himself. He remembered it being a little looser the last time he wore it, but it didn’t dig into him like he feared it would. He put in his earrings and looked over when Dean gave a quiet hiss.

‘That doesn’t hurt?’ Dean asked, straining to get a better look at Castiel’s ears.

‘No,’ Castiel replied, confused.

‘But you just put it through your skin!’

‘Oh! No, um, the hole’s already there,’ Castiel replied as he knelt by the side of pool. He turned his head, giving Dean a good look at his earlobe. He pulled the earring out and replaced it. ‘See? I had them pierced a long time ago, and now they’re just…holes. It doesn’t hurt at all. Well, it’ll hurt if I wear the wrong type of metal, but that’s if I don’t take them out after a few hours,’ he explained.

Dean cringed, his fins going flat against him. ‘That’s not natural.’

‘Do you want me to take them out?’

‘Yes. No. Er…’ Dean stared at the shell-like earrings. They framed Castiel’s face, and he looked beautiful in them. ‘Keep them in. And I mean _in_. I don’t wanna see you pull ‘em out again. That’s weird.’

Castiel smiled in amusement. He went back to the table and sat back down. He picked up the compact mirror and popped open his eye shadow. As he began applying the makeup, he heard a splash and looked over to seen Dean sitting on the edge of the pool, craning his neck to get a better look. He looked back at the compact mirror then to Dean and smiled. ‘Do you wanna hold this for me?’

Dean grinned and dropped back into the pool as Castiel settled in front of him—legs half in the water as he sat on the edge of the pool. He let Castiel move his hands to hold the mirror at just the right height and promised to do his best to keep still. He was mesmerized as he watched layer after layer of eye shadow was added. He had a hard time keeping his fins and tail under control when Castiel got around to putting the finishing touches of glitter on his chest and shoulders. He chirped and whistled excitedly as Castiel took the mirror from him.

‘Are you done? Are you ready?’ he asked, staring at Castiel’s bright red lips. ‘Fuck, you look so hot. Wanna kiss you so bad,’ he said as he ran his hands up and down Castiel’s thighs and gently pushed his knees apart.

‘Just checking that I got everything and nothing’s too asymmetrical,’ Castiel mumbled as he turned his head from side to side. ‘It’s not easy with such a small mirror.’

Dean nodded and kissed Castiel’s knee before laying his head on it, waiting as patiently as he could.

Castiel held the mirror away and pulled it back in, checking from every angle. Everything looked okay. Except for the small bit of white in his hair. He brushed his fingers through to dislodge it, but it didn’t go away. He frowned and tried again. Still nothing. He pulled the mirror in close, tilting his head to check the hair by his temple. He froze as he realized that the small bit of white wasn’t a stray cat hair.

‘I forgot to buy dye,’ he said in monotone. He finally figured out what was missing from the luggage that Gabriel had packed for him, and what he kept forgetting to buy. He dropped the mirror and buried his face in his hands, moaning loudly.

‘C-cas? Cas, baby, what’s wrong?’ Dean asked as he lightly touched Castiel’s shoulder.

‘ _Everything_!’ Castiel wailed as he hugged himself. ‘Everything is going _wrong_! I’ve been dragged halfway across the world, _fired_ , my boyfriend’s a…a _fish_! My own _brother_ tricked me into signing on for another season for his stupid show about fake creatures that actually _exist_! The producers for this fucking show could potentially blackmail me, so I’m stuck here… My career is _ruined_! _I’m_ ruined! I have another mouth to feed, and I’ll have to get a bigger apartment… Maybe a house. Can I even _afford_ a house?! Does it need a pool or…or a lake? Then you have to worry about neighbors… Dammit! What am I supposed to do?! I’m too _old_ for this! Oh, God, I’m _old_!’

‘I guess this is the breakdown I was warned about…’ Dean stroked Castiel’s hair and clicked in worry as Castiel pulled away.

‘Warned? You were… _warned_?! Oh, my God! He was right! I’ll never live it down!’ Castiel broke down in a fits of sobs. He flinched away as Dean tried to touch his hair again. ‘Don’t look at it,’ he moaned.

‘Look at what?’ Dean asked softly.

‘My roots… Every time I look in the mirror, I get older and older. New wrinkles…grey hair… Gabriel’s _lucky_. _His_ hair’s light enough so he can go _weeks_ without having to touchup his roots,’ Castiel said, running his hands through his hair.

‘This is about grey hair?’ Dean asked uncertainly. ‘What’s wrong with that?’

‘I’m old! I’m gonna need reading glasses soon! Gabriel’s already having trouble reading, and _I’m next_!’ Castiel sobbed.

‘Shh… It’ll be fine,’ Dean cooed as he hugged Castiel’s legs. ‘We’ll grow old together and shrivel up into little…wrinkly…things. And get grey hair together and go bald…and have really bad eyes.’ He smiled as Castiel lifted his head, still a picture of pure misery.

Both human and merman froze at the sound of the sliding door opening.

‘Castiel, so sorry to intrude upon your fun—certainly wouldn’t be the first time—but where is… Oh…’ Crowley stared at the scene before him and didn’t even register the hiss from the cat walking between his legs.


	30. Chapter 30

Crowley stared in shock at the aggressive display of fins surrounding a very angry and lowly clicking merman. Of all the things he had been expecting to walk in on, this had been the last. A loud sob from Castiel broke him from his shock.

‘And now Crowley’s going to cut you open with a pen knife and drink your blood!’ Castiel wailed helplessly into his hands. He stared at the top of Dean’s head, hovering just over his thigh. ‘I never got to cook for you… You never got to insult my cooking, and now you’re gonna be too dead to taste it,’ he said quietly.

Crowley rolled his eyes and approached the plunge pool. The closer he got, the louder Dean’s clicks became. ‘Shut it, you,’ Crowley snapped. ‘And might I suggest toning down the display before that speedboat goes by?’

Dean frowned uncertainly as he trailed off on his threat. He could just make out the sound of an engine in the distance, and it was growing louder. He growled as he pulled his fins close and submerged his tail, glaring up at Crowley.

Crowley watched as the boat sped by then knelt beside Castiel. He leaned back, narrowly avoiding an open-handed swipe from Dean.

‘Don’t you fucking touch him,’ Dean growled as he pulled himself up. He positioned himself over Castiel’s lap and stretched his spines as far as he could. He kept his fins down, but held them spread out across the water.

‘Not planning to,’ Crowley muttered. He looked from Dean to Castiel and back. Castiel was sobbing uncontrollably. He had seen his friend like this before, and he had ended up with a black eye. That was the last time he had offered any form of physical comfort. ‘Though I am a bit surprised that he’s letting _you_ touch him.’

‘B-because… ‘cuz it’s rude t-to punch the…the…,’ Castiel stuttered between sobs and looked up at Crowley. ‘Oh, God! I’m marrying a _fish_!’

‘I believe the correct term would be Ichthyo Sapiens. Though possibly _Homo_ Ichthyo Sapiens in this case,’ Crowley warily replied. ‘Marriage, huh?’

Castiel nodded silently then stopped. ‘Oh, no,’ he whispered. He suddenly sat up straight, surprising Dean and throwing him off balance. ‘I don’t have a ring!’

‘What? A ring? What ring?!’ Dean asked as he struggled to keep his head above the water. He managed to pull himself to the edge of the plunge pool next to Castiel. He glared at Crowley’s feet and hissed through his teeth.

‘Human custom,’ Crowley replied. He sighed as Dean began clicking at him again. ‘Oh, do stop. You’re not impressing anyone.’

Dean faltered and looked to Castiel in uncertainty. He didn’t know what to make of Crowley, and Castiel was in no state to give him a second opinion. ‘What are you planning on doing?’ he asked.

Crowley considered the question as he looked over Dean from head to tail. ‘Right now? Nothing,’ he replied.

Castiel had already complained to him about the producers for Gabriel’s show. Michael and Lucifer… He had been trying to get them off his own back and onto someone else’s for the past two years now. It looked like he was finally getting his chance. Now, all he had to do was play his cards right and not screw up his chance at freedom.

Dean didn’t trust the smile that Crowley was giving him. ‘Why should I believe you?’

‘Because, fish-boy, what would I have to gain?’ Crowley countered.

‘Fame and fortune! Naming rights to a new species,’ Castiel replied between choked sobs. ‘I don’t wanna be famous… I don’t wanna be known for anything like…like Gabriel. The moment this show airs… Nooo… I’ll be a laughing stock! Everything I’ve ever worked on will be disregarded! Hah! Good! Maybe all the work I did will force Naomi to start from scratch!’ He tugged at his skirt and sniffled as he muttered to himself.

‘Yes, well… If I were to go about claiming that mermaids were real, then _I’d_ be a laughing stock,’ Crowley said. ‘As if anyone would believe me.’

‘Even if you had proof?’ Dean growled.

‘You’re not exactly a prime specimen, now, are you?’ Crowley countered. He tilted his head and smirked as Dean deflated under his gaze. ‘Ruined fins, bad coloration… Granted, you’re a rare one, but not a good choice for publicity. If I were to go public with mermaids, I would want a perfect specimen. Not _you_.’

A soft whistle escaped from Dean’s throat. He had gotten so used to Castiel adoring him and fawning over all of his flaws that he had almost forgotten how he wasn’t considered attractive by mermaid standards. He flinched as a hand lightly patted his shoulder. He looked up and sadly met Castiel’s reddened eyes.

Castiel forced a smile. ‘That’s just his way of saying he won’t do anything to expose you,’ he explained. ‘He has an image to maintain.’

‘As do you,’ Crowley said. ‘And I don’t believe drag fits into that image. Not if you go by your ex’s reaction to your behavior the other night.’

Castiel nodded miserably. ‘My brother found out,’ he whispered. ‘All the one night stands… My tattoo… Just my deviant nature in general… God, he saw the _sex tape_! Did…did he find out about the arrests? I can’t remember! He’s going to tell Mother…’ He stared ahead as his shoulders began to shake, and he broke out into a renewed fit of sobs.

Crowley watched impassively with a raised brow. He opened his mouth to remind Castiel that his mother already knew, but decided to let Castiel enjoy his little pity party. Arguing with Castiel in this state never led anywhere good—usually a hospital or the police station.

Dean stared up at Crowley as he ran over what the man said. He had momentarily been put off track by Crowley reminding him that he wasn’t an ideal specimen, but now that he thought about it… How would Crowley know? ‘How many mermaids have you met?’ he asked suspiciously.

Crowley froze as Castiel’s sobs suddenly stopped. He let out a nervous laugh and glanced between the two men staring at him intently. ‘I uh… I’ve only met the one. Rude little thing, I might add,’ he said slowly.

‘You knew about this, and you never _told_ me!’ Castiel cried out, gesturing at Dean and his long tail. ‘How could you do this to me?! I thought we were _friends_!’

Crowley leaned away from Castiel. ‘I signed a nondisclosure agreement,’ he said defensively.

‘That never stopped you before,’ Castiel growled back, splashing water at Crowley. He was disappointed that he didn’t have anything to throw at the other man.

‘I never had to sign a nondisclosure with _Michael_ and _Lucifer_ before!’

Crowley’s mouth snapped shut, and he paled at letting the admission slip. There it was. His freedom. Slipping away into the void.

‘What’s a…non…dis… The thing you signed?’ Dean asked, almost sulkily. Castiel was useless at the moment (crying about not being trusted), so he looked to Crowley for an answer.

‘It means I can’t talk about it,’ Crowley replied.

‘You can’t talk about the mermaid you met? Not even to…me?’

Crowley looked away in thought and back to Dean. Nothing in the paperwork had mentioned coming across other mermaids—and he knew the agreement inside and out. ‘I suppose you’re the exception,’ he relented.

Dean’s fins perked up as he wondered if it was anyone he knew. ‘Who is it? I mean, what do they look like?’

‘Male. Dirty blond. Yellow tail with dark green fins. In his twenties, I believe,’ Crowley replied.

Dean sighed. That wasn’t much to go on. ‘That’s a pretty common color combo,’ he said, expressing his disappointment. He and Sam had a younger half-brother that fit that description. About a quarter of his home colony had tails in yellow and green.

‘Yes, and _you_ have a very _uncommon_ color scheme. Like I said before: rare,’ Crowley said. He caught Dean’s uncertain stare and sighed in irritation. Castiel had better thank him later… He didn’t normally explain himself to others. ‘It’s a compliment. It means you’re special.’

‘No one else ever saw it that way,’ Dean grumbled.

‘Well, I’m sure our little Cassie sees it that way. Right, Castiel?’

‘I’ll have to get new furniture… Nothing matches his color scheme,’ Castiel mumbled as he lightly stroked the fin nearest him. Just days before, he had touched them for the first time. A new species that had gone about courting him the human way _and_ the merfolk way. As he thought back to that moment, he realized that was when he had actually snapped, clinging to the one thing that made sense in the chaos that his life had become: research. He groaned miserably and buried his face in his hands. He had been so horrible to Dean, and Dean had happily gone along, completely clueless.

‘ _Nothing_ you own matches _any_ color scheme,’ Crowley said in distaste. ‘You bring shame to the term “thrift shop chic”.’

Castiel ignored Crowley, lost in his own world of misery. How was he going to make up his behavior to Dean? As his thoughts drifted back to his apartment, he realized he wasn’t prepared to bring home a mermaid. It wasn’t very large, and all he had was a fifty-gallon fish tank. And _that_ was empty of any fish. Maybe he could get some fish that Dean liked to eat. ‘I’ll have to stock the fish tank. Are feeder fish okay, or do you need something more substantial?’ he asked quietly.

‘Er… Human food is okay?’ Dean replied uncertainly. He moved so that he was back in front of Castiel’s knees and looking up at him in concern. He chirped lightly and smiled when Castiel offered him a watery smile.

‘That’s good…’ Castiel reached out and stroked Dean’s hair. He swallowed and sniffled as Dean leaned into his touch. ‘Oh, God…’

Dean looked back up at Crowley. ‘Any idea how long he’s gonna be like this?’ he asked as he absently stroked Castiel’s leg.

‘He’ll be right as rain in the morning,’ Crowley replied. ‘Close to okay in a few hours. I wouldn’t leave him unattended, though. The more he talks, then better he gets. He just needs to work it out and get some sleep.’

Dean nodded and shifted his gaze back to Castiel. ‘How ya’ feelin’?’ he asked.

Castiel shook his head and blinked back another wave of tears that threatened to surface. ‘I-I… I don’t know…’ He stared at his lap and wrung his hands together. ‘I’ve been… God, I’ve been awful to you!’

‘What? No, you haven’t!’ Dean argued. ‘Sure, you’ve been kinda annoying, but… Well, you’ve made me feel so…so special. I don’t get much of that, so it kinda balances out, I guess.’ He laid his head on Castiel’s knee and smiled up at him.

Castiel closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing. He was having a hard time of it. With each breath, a new worry would come to the forefront of his mind. His greying hair, his well-meaning, but idiotic brother, his sulking ex-boyfriend… He twitched away as soft fur brushed against his back. At least Muffin liked Dean, and Dean liked Muffin.

He reached behind and pulled Muffin into his lap, ignoring the sharp claws that dug into his arms and legs. Even if everything ended up being shot to hell, at least he still had his cat. ‘Oh, no,’ he whispered, ‘I’m a crazy cat lady.’

‘No, you’re not,’ Dean replied. ‘Think I woulda noticed if you were a lady. Unless… Is there something I don’t know about humans that I _should_?’

‘He means he takes better care of the cat than himself,’ Crowley explained. ‘Castiel tends to put others before himself. When he remembers.’

‘Except Gabriel,’ Castiel growled as he hugged Muffin tightly. The cat squirmed in his arms and eventually clawed his way out, leaving Castiel with a deep set of scratches on his left shoulder. ‘I am _never_ doing that ass-butt a favor. Ever. Again.’

Dean reached out and wiped away the drop of blood making its way down Castiel’s arm.

Crowley looked between the two and stood. ‘I gotta get back to Jody before she gets worried… Just… _You_ , get human,’ he said to Dean before turning away. ‘And keep Castiel here!’

Dean watched as Crowley left. After a few moments, the front door slammed shut, and Dean sighed heavily as he looked up at Castiel. ‘I’m gonna drop into the water, okay? Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.’ He waited for Castiel to nod before going to the opposite end of the plunge pool. He hoisted himself onto the edge and ducked under the railing.

There was a soft splash of water behind him, and he looked over his shoulder at Castiel. ‘Cas?’

‘Did you need help?’ Castiel asked. He shrugged and looked down at his skirt floating around him. He glanced back up when he heard a low, clicking whistle coming from Dean. Despite his current mental state, he couldn’t help the blush that tinted his cheeks.

Dean’s fins rose around him as he stared longingly at Castiel. He quickly looked away and got himself under control. ‘It’s just dropping down,’ he said. ‘Pretty sure I can handle that.’ He grinned at Castiel and wasn’t sure how he should feel about the lost look he received. ‘I’ll be right back,’ he promised.

Castiel nodded, and Dean let go of the railing, falling over the edge. He flinched as water hit his face from Dean’s tail suddenly leaving the pool. He looked around the empty deck and stifled a choked cry as he fingered the scales that hung from his neck. Why did he have to go and fuck everything up?

He heard his name being called and slowly trudged out of the pool and to the stairs that led down to the lagoon. Dean was sitting on the landing, doing his best to keep his tail out of the water. Castiel sat a few steps above Dean and watched.

He remembered how it was easier for Dean to transform with his tail laid straight. He stood and joined Dean on the landing. Leaning down, he looped his arms under Dean and tried to drag him up a few steps, stumbling in the process.

Dean let out an undignified squawk as he was hoisted up one step then another. ‘Hey! What are you doing?!’

‘Helping?’ Castiel replied as he caught his breath. ‘It’ll be easier for the change.’

Dean laughed as Castiel lugged him up another step.

‘What?’

‘Nothing. It’s just…you. You’re having a breakdown, and you’re more concerned about my tail being straight,’ Dean said as he twisted around to look up at Castiel.

‘I didn’t want to be left alone with my thoughts. I..I don’t wanna be…alone,’ Castiel said as he sat back.

‘I’m right here,’ Dean said softly. He hissed as the tingling in his tail turned into the familiar dull itch that preceded the short burst of strange pain that accompanied the shifting of his bones.

Castiel laid his hands on Dean’s shoulders and lightly rubbed them as he watched Dean’s tail shorten and the scales give way to human skin. Even though he had witnessed it several times already, it was still a disturbing and intriguing sight.

He leaned down and kissed the top of Dean’s head when the transformation was finished. ‘I meant… I mean… Alone. No one there. No one to come home to. I don’t wanna be alone anymore,’ he said with some difficulty.

Dean turned around fully and knelt between Castiel’s legs. ‘But that’s what… Well, uh…’ He trailed off, not wanting to trigger another bout of misery in Castiel. ‘I’m here for you. No matter what, and for however long you want me,’ he eventually settled on saying. ‘I love you, Cas.’

Castiel leaned down and lightly kissed Dean’s lips. He pulled back as Dean let out a happy whistle, and he looked away as tears pricked his eyes. He was aware of Dean worriedly saying his name, and he swallowed and took a deep breath before looking down.

‘I uh… Sorry. It’s just weird,’ Castiel tried to explain before his thoughts could get carried away.

Dean’s eyes widened, and his chest tightened. A part of him feared that Castiel was about to reject him. He didn’t think he could handle that. He was used to the flippant dismissal his own kind would normally give. Not tears and halted words.

‘The whole…mermaid…fish…er, person…thing,’ Castiel elaborated. ‘I know we already talked about it, and I’m fine with it… I think… But it’s…it’s kinda a big deal.’

He caught the quiet, distressed click that slipped from Dean and quickly reached down to cup Dean’s face in his hands. ‘No, no, no! Nothing bad! I just… I need to talk about this! _We_ need to talk about it. If I’m gonna be on Gabriel’s show, and we’re gonna be together, then we… We need to figure this all out. Preferably _before_ there’s a slip up,’ he said.

‘And you wanna talk about this… _now_?’ Dean asked carefully.

Castiel shook his head and dropped his hands from Dean. ‘Not really, no,’ he admitted.

Dean stood and held out his hand to Castiel. ‘We should probably head inside.’

Castiel nodded and placed his hand in Dean’s. He froze as a speedboat whirred by, joined by the loud, drunken screams a few women. He turned crimson, watching in horror as the boat quickly turned and gave another, closer pass. This time, he could make out what the women were screaming. He stood, stepped past Dean, and hopped down to the landing, shouting along the way and pointing angrily. ‘J’ai l’intention de me faire baiser!’

‘Pouvons-nous vous rejoindre?’ one of the women hollered back.

‘Non!’

‘Pouvons-nous regarder?’ another shouted.

‘Vas te faire enculer!’

Dean frowned and watched as the boat sped away. Whatever Castiel had said had made the women’s screams louder and more excited. ‘What was _that_ all about?’ he asked in confusion. He didn’t recognize any of the words that were said. ‘What were they saying?’

Castiel turned with a huff and looked up at Dean. ‘They said…’ He blinked and snorted as he tried to contain a laugh. ‘You’re naked.’ He looked down at himself and moaned as embarrassment washed over him. ‘And I may as well be, too.’

‘Yeah, that’s why I suggested going inside,’ Dean replied. He walked down the steps and wrapped his arm around Castiel’s shoulders. ‘Guess I have a few new admirers?’ he said cockily.

‘ _We_ do,’ Castiel said with a sigh as he let Dean guide him up the stairs and into the bungalow. ‘And then there’s that…’

‘Huh?’

‘Admirers… The show… Gabriel has his own little fanbase,’ Castiel said as he collapsed onto the couch. ‘I don’t want that. I’m happy being unknown!’

‘Okay, um… How about this: What are some _good_ things about being on TV?’ Dean asked as he settled next to Castiel.

‘Depends on who you ask,’ Castiel mumbled.

‘I’m asking _you_.’

‘The money’s decent,’ Castiel admitted with a small shrug. ‘Travel and housing is paid for. It opens doors to the same sort of stuff. But…they want me drunk when I’m on screen.’

‘And how’s that bad? You’re fun when you’re drunk. Well, the first time you were. The second time… I dunno. You were flirty, but kinda manipulative,’ Dean said.

‘I can be like that,’ Castiel agreed. ‘Sorry. Look, when I’m in a committed relationship, I’m committed. If a little…unobservant. I get lost in my work. I uh… I take off without a word and show up with no warning. Scared a few people with that.’

‘That’s okay.’

‘No, it’s not. It’s really not,’ Castiel said, shaking his head. ‘I don’t want you to feel like I’m ignoring you, and…there will be times when it’ll seem like that. But, I guess, that’s not a problem anymore. I don’t see myself being asked to go on any expeditions any time soon.’

‘Just this show?’ Dean asked.

Castiel nodded and groaned.

‘That’s the _real_ issue, isn’t it?’

‘I’ve lost everything because of this. I don’t blame Gabriel, but he did set things into motion,’ Castiel said tonelessly.

‘Well… You met me. And you seem happy. For the most part,’ Dean said.

‘I am happy.’

‘You don’t sound like it,’ Dean said doubtfully.

Castiel shrugged and laid his head on Dean’s shoulder. ‘I’m exhausted,’ he explained. ‘And confused. I need a plan. I don’t like not having direction. And this stupid show doesn’t count.’

Dean licked his lips and decided to push his luck. ‘It seems like you’re the only one that’s not into this show. Spot, uh…Charlie loves it. She says it’s the best job she’s had in a long time,’ he said. ‘So… I say, do the show. Have fun. Charlie said she could justify having an assistant, so _I’m_ set.’

‘You’ve already got a job lined up?’ Castiel asked as he raised his head to stare at Dean. He felt some of his stress ease. ‘But you’ve been human, er…on land… Whatever. You’ve integrated rather quickly.’

‘What can I say? I’m adaptable! Sam say’s I’d make a good hustler,’ Dean said proudly.

‘I could see that,’ Castiel said with a quiet smile. ‘Okay, so… Come what may, I stick with the show. We’ll talk to Gabriel about getting you on as Charlie’s assistant, and… Wait.’

‘Huh? What’s wrong?’

‘What Crowley said,’ Castiel whispered. ‘This won’t work. You can’t be part of the crew!’

‘Why not?’

‘Because Michael and Lucifer know about your kind! What would they do if they found out about you?! You have no background, no paper trail… They have connections. If anyone could spot a forged identity, it’d be them!’ Castiel stood and began pacing back and forth in front of the couch. ‘They’ll find out it’s all fake, and then they’ll dig deeper!’

‘Then we just say I’m like Sam,’ Dean replied. ‘Washed up on shore with no memory. Easy.’

Castiel rapidly shook his head. ‘You can’t use the same story for two people! If Gabriel gets his way, then Sam will already be using that story. And then… How do we justify you being brothers? This is… This is a bad idea. Nothing will work!’

‘Cas…’

‘They’ll find out about you! If what Crowley said is true, then they already know mermaids exist!’ Castiel exclaimed. ‘But how much do they know? They must have seen them, or…or caught one. What if the mermaid’s already dead, and they’re looking for a new live specimen before going public?! Oh, God! That has to be it! They’re using Gabriel’s show to look for more evidence! Over half of the myths he’s planning on hitting are water-based! He had to _fight_ to get his stupid, fucking _unicorn_ episode!’

‘But there’s no guarantee that you guys will even find anything,’ Dean pointed out. ‘We don’t… _normally_ go seeking out humans. Besides, maybe they actually believe in the show? Or are gonna make a lot of money from it.’

‘No. I know what they’re like, and they would _never_ sponsor a show like this without having their own reasons. Money be damned, they have their… _standards_. Shit! Why didn’t I see it before?!’ Castiel dropped back onto the couch, growling in frustration. ‘They’re like _me_. They don’t believe in…’ He sighed as he ran his eyes over Dean’s naked form. ‘They don’t believe in creatures like you.’

Dean nodded and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. ‘But… But Crowley said that the mermaid he met was rude,’ he said quietly. ‘He didn’t say anything about them being dead. So…they could still be alive. And if that’s the case, then… Then what?’

Castiel’s brows furrowed at the thought, and panic seized him. ‘Then… Why haven’t they gone public?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
> 'I intend to get fucked!'  
> 'Can we watch?'  
> 'No!'  
> 'Can we join?'  
> 'Fuck off!'  
> Or something like that. Thank you, Google translate. Edit: And thanks, [Frenchyeh](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Frenchyeh/pseuds/Frenchyeh), for corrections!


	31. Chapter 31

Dean sighed helplessly. Somehow, he had managed to get Castiel and himself dressed. Or, at least, half dressed. He was in his boxers and a t-shirt, and Castiel was in a pair of shorts without his shirt. Glitter still clung to Castiel’s shoulders and chest, and Dean was having a hard time keeping his priorities straight. As beautiful as his mate looked sparkling under the light, he hated seeing the tear-stained cheeks.

And that was his current situation. Castiel was back to crying, going on about one thing or another. As much as Dean had tried to keep up, Castiel’s thoughts kept bouncing back and forth with seemingly no connection.

‘Mermaids just aren’t real!’ Castiel cried out again.

Dean hummed softly as he held Castiel in his arms. He had found that humming and clicking helped to soothe Castiel and calm him down. ‘I know it’s hard to believe,’ he said quietly. ‘But I’m real, and I’m not going anywhere. Not gonna leave you.’

Castiel wiped at his eyes and stared miserably at the smudged makeup on the back of his hands. ‘You should,’ he whispered as he pressed his face into Dean’s shoulder. ‘I tried to pit you and Balthazar against each other, and I’ve been treating you like a research project!’

‘What? We’ve been through this already. Flaunting one potential mate in front of the other is _normal_ for me. It’s the one thing that makes sense out of your crazy human dating crap. And as for being your research project, I don’t mind. Seriously. Drop it already,’ Dean said with a teasing smile.

‘But it’s all I could focus on!’ Castiel argued. ‘I had to understand you before I could process... _this_!’ he said, motioning between himself and Dean. ‘I mean, you’re a _mermaid_!’

And that’s what Castiel kept going back to. ‘I don’t have to be,’ Dean said quietly.

‘What?’ Castiel asked with a sniffle.

‘I don’t have to be in the water,’ Dean explained. ‘I could avoid it. Keep it to myself.’

Castiel shook his head. ‘No, that’s not the problem!’

‘Then what is?’ Dean asked, unable to keep the tiredness and frustration from his voice.

‘You shouldn’t exist! You…you change form! You grow legs when you’re dry, and scales when you’re wet! How is that physically possible?! It’s like...like magic! Magic does _not_ exist!’

‘Says the guy with the magic spell for a tramp stamp.’

‘I was _drunk_!’ Castiel said defensively.

‘Are you saying you make bad decisions when you’re drunk?’ Dean asked with a raised brow.

Castiel leaned heavily against Dean and sighed. ‘No. Sorry. This is...a lot to take in. I don’t regret jumping you that night.’

‘Me neither. If it’s any consolation… I never thought I’d be attracted to a human. You think _I_ look weird to _you_? Humans look weird to _me_. Your legs are...short. Stumpy. You don’t have any colors to show that you’re a good mate,’ Dean explained. ‘You get to _choose_ your colors with clothes. It’s...I dunno. Weird. Different. But not _bad_.’

‘We dress ourselves up and lie,’ Castiel said bitterly. ‘I’ve lied to everyone about who I really am. I’m _meant_ to be on Gabriel’s stupid show. It’s punishment for trying to run from my past. I fit right in.’

‘It’s not a bad past. Not from what you’ve told me about it.’

‘It’s not exactly...culturally acceptable.’

‘Neither’s my tail.’

‘You can’t control--’

‘Not just my colors,’ Dean said, cutting off Castiel. ‘My scars, too. Humans might dig scars, but mermaids sure as hell don’t.’

‘Not all humans do.’

‘Yeah… I’ve noticed a couple people staring at my leg. But, hey. I’m used to it, so what? At least it’s not the outright disgust I’m used to getting. More of a… I dunno. Curiousity? But who cares? _You_ like my scars. You like my colors. You...you like me for me. And I like you for you. I love you, Cas.’

Castiel nodded and licked his lips. ‘I’m in love with a mermaid, and a mermaid’s in love with me. My life’s a fairy tale,’ he said numbly.

‘Well, you do have the dress for it,’ Dean said with a cheeky grin. ‘My pretty princess,’ he said with a laugh as he hugged Castiel close and kissed his neck.

‘Excuse you! I’m a _queen_ , thank you very much!’ Castiel retorted. He was smiling, but it began to slip as his words caught up with him. ‘I used to be a drag queen, and now everyone knows,’ he whispered.

‘Your ex seemed to like finding out,’ Dean said hesitantly. ‘Do you really think everyone else is going to care that much?’

Castiel shook his head. ‘I think…I think they’ll finally believe that Gabriel and I are actually related,’ he admitted. He moved so that his back rested against Dean’s chest, and he closed his eyes. He was completely exhausted, but he was too wired to let himself relax.

Everything had come crashing down around him, and he actually had a direction to go in. That was what disturbed him the most. His panicked questions of what he should do were already answered. All decisions were already made. If his life had just been uprooted, leaving him flailing and lost, he would have had something to focus on. He could deal with the prospect of being jobless and homeless. He would have had the task of getting everything in order. Now, everything was laid out for him. His life was falling apart, and it was neatly wrapped up and waiting for him to pick it up.

He grunted as a heavy mass of orange and white landed on his lap. ‘I wish things were more complicated,’ he said quietly.

‘It’s not complicated enough?’ Dean asked as he stroked Castiel’s hair.

Castiel shrugged as he stared ahead. ‘Everything’s been handed to me on a silver platter. My brother has given me a new life, and I’d…probably be very good at it. As much as I’m dreading having my onscreen drunken escapade, I’m…I’m actually kinda looking forward to it,’ he admitted. He laughed quietly as he scratched at Muffin’s ears. ‘More so now, I think.’

‘Why’s that?’

‘If I’m gonna go down… It may as well be in flames.’ He sighed as Dean kissed the side of his head, and his mind changed tracks. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Huh? What for?’

‘For ruining our mating ritual. Our wedding.’

Dean held his breath and stared at the back of Castiel’s head, uncertain of what to say. As far as he was concerned, he thought of Castiel as his mate—with or without the ritual. But…it was still something that he had been looking forward to. ‘It’s not a big deal,’ he said.

‘Yes it is. I’m a…a fuck up, and I’ve ruined everything.’ Castiel was grateful when Muffin didn’t struggle as he pulled the cat closer.

‘We have all the time in the world,’ Dean said reassuringly. ‘There’s no rush. Hell, I’d actually rather do our mating in the ocean or in a lake or something. That pool smells weird. And you still smell like it.’

‘I could take a shower, but I don’t feel like it,’ Castiel said petulantly. ‘You’ll have to deal with me smelling like chlorine while I’m dealing with you being a mermaid.’

‘Whatever you want.’

‘You’re a mermaid,’ Castiel whispered, not noticing Dean’s heavy sigh. ‘You’re a mermaid, my brother’s boyfriend is a mermaid… God, even his best friend is a mermaid! Is there some...some...mermaid conspiracy going on that I don’t know about?!’

‘If there is, then no one told _me_ ,’ Dean replied.

‘You’d think someone would have said something by now, or...or documented it, or even an arti— Oh.’ Castiel sat up straight and stared ahead for a minute before falling back against Dean’s chest. ‘There _are_ articles! And they’re all stupid, ludicrous bullshit! And they’re all right! And Michael and Lucifer are in on the conspiracy!’

‘Yeah, about that...’

‘And they never _told_ me!’ Castiel moved so that he was laying down on the couch with his head in Dean’s lap. He held Muffin on his chest as he glared at the ceiling, angry tears stinging his eyes. ‘Those…those _jerks_ know I specialize in marine mammals! Why wouldn’t they tell me?!’

‘Because you would have just let the mermaid go?’ Dean offered. He hoped that was what Castiel would do if he had been put into that sort of position.

Castiel exhaled loudly and nodded. ‘I suppose so. Dean, I—’

The front door to the bungalow opened, and Castiel sighed as he heard Crowley and Jody’s hushed voices coming from the entry. Sharp claws dug into his chest as Muffin turned to face the direction of the voices, and he frowned as a fluffy tail whacked him in the face. From what little he could gather, Crowley had somehow managed to convince Jody to steer clear of the living room.

He let himself relax as Dean gently stroked his hair and Muffin settled down. He would be spared Jody’s interrogation for at least a few hours. He may as well try to get a little sleep in the mean time.

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel glanced up from his drink when Sam sat down at the table. ‘This tastes like Tang,’ he said.

‘It _is_ Tang,’ Sam replied. ‘Closest thing we have to Kool-Aid. Thought you might like it.’

Gabriel nodded and went back to staring at the tall glass of orange liquid. He pulled out his phone and dropped it on the table. ‘Either Cas has his phone off, or he forgot to charge it again, and I’m betting on the latter.’

‘Dean’s with him. I’m sure he’s fine,’ Sam said. ‘You could always go and check on him. I could take you across the lagoon.’

Gabriel shook his head and leaned back. ‘No offense, Sam, but uh…I don’t really wanna get in a boat with you anytime soon. Don’t like ‘em to start with, but that was…not fun.’

‘Yeah. Sorry about that.’

‘No, it’s fine. I get it. I get your reasoning, but it’s gonna take a while before I can hop right into a small boat with a big smile on my face,’ Gabriel explained. ‘It’s my own problem, and I’m dealing with it as best I can. So I’ll just stick with leaving him a million messages. And I’m not about to call Crowley, so don’t even suggest it. But I probably should…’

‘Do you really think Cas went off the deep end?’ Sam asked.

‘The signs are all there. At least it doesn’t last long once he breaks. He just gets violent,’ Gabriel replied. ‘Sorry if your brother ends up with a black eye.’

Sam laughed as he leaned his elbows on the table. ‘He’ll be fine. Dean can take care of himself.’ He looked down at the glass between them and licked his lips before looking backup at Gabriel. ‘Are you…planning on sleeping on the floor again?’

Gabriel grimaced and hesitantly raised his eyes to meet Sam’s. ‘Thought I managed to sneak out and back in…’

‘I’m a light sleeper,’ Sam replied. ‘Comes with being…me.’

Gabriel took a deep breath and looked away. ‘Sorry. I didn’t… _mean_ to. Well, not like… I mean… I don’t know.’ He sighed heavily and closed his eyes as he listened to Sam’s chair scraping against the floor.

Sam moved around the table to stand behind Gabriel. ‘It’s not a big deal,’ he said as he laid his hands on Gabriel’s shoulders. He felt relief as Gabriel relaxed against his touch. ‘If you wanna sleep in your own room, that’s fine. I don’t mind. Really. It’s a lot to get used to.’

‘It’s not that,’ Gabriel insisted. ‘It’s… Look, I’m still kinda mad at you, and I take it upon myself to uh…sleep on the couch, as it were.’

‘ _You’re_ mad at _me_ , so you sleep on the floor?’ Sam said, smiling. ‘Shouldn’t you be making _me_ sleep somewhere else? I thought that’s how that was supposed to work.’

‘Yeah… You should get used to a bunch of weird things with me.’

‘Well, you can sleep in your own room, or there _is_ a cot under my bed,’ Sam said.

Gabriel tilted his head and stared up at Sam. ‘So you don’t mind? Not too weird for ya’?’

‘Gabriel. You’re talking to a mermaid,’ Sam reminded. ‘I have a completely different standard for weird. Trust me.’

Gabriel reached up and pulled Sam down for a kiss. ‘In that case, I’m sleeping on the cot, but don’t get freaked out if I turn up in your bed or wake you up with a blow job.’

‘I thought you were supposed to be mad at me?’

Gabriel rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he slouched down. ‘Well, if that’s how you’re gonna be, then you can sleep on the cot and wake _me_ up with a blowjob!’

Sam smiled and leaned back down to press a light kiss to Gabriel’s lips. ‘Then that’s what I’ll do.’


	32. Chapter 32

Castiel awoke to the sound of voices and laughter. He rubbed at his eyes as he sat up and glared at the morning sun pouring in from a window. He shifted his glare to his fingers, now smudged with mascara and eyeshadow. As worried as he was over what the conversation outside was on, he refused to be seen in his current state. He stretched and popped a few kinks from his neck before making his way to the bathroom to wash his face.

A good scrubbing later, and he was left staring at his reflection, wondering what he was going to do with his life. Now that he could think straight, everything slotted perfectly into place.

He had a new career. There was no way around it. His reputation was ruined, so he probably wouldn’t be writing any papers for a long time, but that was always tedious anyway. The part of his job that he loved the most was actually being given to him. Travel and swimming. Well, he might not be in the water for the episodes that centered around myths based on land, but there would be plenty of free time to see the local sights.

He could sublet his apartment for while he was away, or he could even find a nice bit of property somewhere by a lake. Charlie’s girlfriend was bound to know of some decent locations.

That left Dean. Money wouldn’t be an issue—the income he made from his stock photos and footage was enough to take care of an extra mouth to feed, but he would have to cut back on his habit of eating out. He would have to learn to cook beyond things that came in a box or a can—and even then it was a toss-up on whether or not he missed a step. He had a doctorate. How could he not follow simple instructions? Maybe Dean would be better at cooking.

He heard another eruption of laughter and decided it was time to face Jody’s interrogation. He sighed as his eyes drifted over his glittery bedhead. Unless he took a shower, there was no hope for it. At least his face was clean. He turned away from the mirror and opened the door.

He made his way to the open door leading out to the deck and paused, leaning against the doorframe. Dean was smiling at Jody, completely engrossed in the tale of how she and Crowley had first met. On Dean’s lap was Muffin—happily sprawled out and kneading the hem of Dean’s shorts. Castiel smiled softly at the sight. How the hell did he manage to luck out with someone as understanding and loving as Dean?

Dean looked over as movement caught his eye, and his smile grew wider. Crowley had been right—it looked like all Castiel really needed was a good night’s sleep. Castiel _did_ look a lot better compared to yesterday. And the mussed hair certainly helped. He barely suppressed the low whistle forming. He coughed and cleared his throat in an attempt to cover the soft click that had escaped. ‘Hey, there, Cas. Feeling better?’

Castiel nodded, pushing off the doorjamb and taking the empty chair next to Dean. ‘Yes. Everything is…sorted,’ he replied.

‘We were just talking about love at first sight,’ Jody said as Crowley moaned in embarrassment. ‘Dean said he was skinny dipping when he first met you. And you were…drunk off your ass?’ she said innocently. ‘And _very_ friendly.’

Castiel’s smile faded, and he buried his face in his hands, mimicking Crowley’s moan. ‘Gabriel had left me alone with a bottle of champagne after he notified me of just what he had me sign,’ he explained. He looked up at Jody and shrugged. ‘You know how I get when I’ve had too much.’

‘You start robbing cradles,’ Jody said with a smirk, looking over Dean.

Dean stared back with a confused smile. He had heard the phrase before, but he couldn’t quite place it.

‘I believe you have me confused with Gabriel,’ Castiel replied. ‘He’s been sleeping with Dean’s _younger_ brother.’

‘Disgusting,’ Jody said as she shook her head. ‘I bet he’s absolutely gorgeous, too.’

Castiel stared at Jody for a moment. ‘He’s… Yes, sorry. I thought you were disapproving of his practices.’

Jody rolled her eyes and gestured to her husband. ‘Look who I married. I think I gave up the right to judge when I said my vows.’

‘Excuse you! I’m not some common deviant!’ Crowley sputtered.

‘Then why do I need to _punish_ you?’ she purred in response.

Dean hoped his confusion didn’t show as he watched Crowley and Jody share a kiss. He glanced at Castiel and found no indication of anything strange having been said. None of his TV shows had prepared him for the oddity that was humanity. As outrageous as the television characters were, he was finding real humans to be even moreso—they were just more subtle about it, and it was sometimes hard for him to keep up.

‘Anyway, back to you two,’ Jody said, leaning forward. ‘So what happened after Cas sexually assaulted you?’

‘I did not—’

She waved off Castiel’s outburst.

‘Er, my brother yelled at me for taking advantage of him,’ Dean replied.

Jody stared at Dean before looking at Castiel for confirmation.

‘That sounds about right,’ Castiel said with a shrug. ‘I kinda remember Sam scowling at Dean, and Charlie helping me back to my room.’

‘So _he_ was pestering _you_?’ she asked Castiel.

Castiel ducked his head. ‘I remember being very persistent in being pestered. So, both.’

‘You were. It was pretty uh…frustrating,’ Dean said, lightly elbowing Castiel. ‘You had me pretty riled up,’ he added, waggling his fingers to demonstrate his fins.

‘I’m sure it was a disgusting _display_ ,’ Crowley said.

‘That means the two of you probably looked very cute together,’ Jody translated.

‘Well, they _are_ meant for each other,’ Crowley said with a snarky grin. ‘The, ah… _fish_ erman and the marine biologist.’

Castiel sucked on his lower lip as he stared at Crowley. Just how far was the other man going to go with his hints? He kicked Crowley’s shin beneath the table.

‘Ah! Match made by Poseidon, himself,’ he continued, raising his drink. ‘May the, uh, _scales_ be ever in your favor.’

Jody casually sipped at a glass of orange juice before giving her husband a side-glance. ‘You think you’re being clever, Fergus, but you’re not. Remember, I read your diary, and I’m fluent in asshole.’

Both Castiel and Crowley visibly stiffened, staring wide-eyed at each other. Crowley flicked his eyes toward Jody and back, thinning his lips. Castiel responded by taking his cat from Dean’s lap and putting all his attention into petting Muffin.

Dean could feel the tension building. He still didn’t quite trust Crowley, but he really liked Jody. And if she could put Crowley in his place with just a few words, then that was all right by him. Even if those words went right over his head. He glanced at Castiel and frowned when he saw the panicked look on Castiel’s face. ‘Cas? You okay?’

Castiel’s head flew up, and he forced a smile. ‘Yes. I’m fine,’ he said quickly. He looked to Jody pleadingly. ‘Right?’

Jody nodded and placed her chin on her hands before looking at Dean. ‘Every little girl can be trusted with certain secrets.’

Dean leaned back from Jody’s intense stare. It had gone from a simple, intrigued look to completely enraptured. ‘Oh…kay…’ He wondered if there was some human custom he was missing.

‘She knows,’ Castiel said quietly as he let Muffin scramble back onto Dean’s lap. He snorted in disgust as he shook his head. ‘Of course she knows. _Everyone_ knows! Does… Oh, God. _Please_ , tell me Balthazar doesn’t know.’

‘Shouldn’t think so,’ Crowley replied. ‘What would Michael and Lucifer have to gain from telling _him_? Unless he saw _your_ specimen—’

‘Dean’s not my _specimen_ ,’ Castiel snapped. ‘He’s my…my…mate!’

‘Disgusting,’ Crowley said with a sneer. ‘Do keep your _mating_ rituals off the bed. Wait. Have you two…with the fishy bits…’ He gestured between Dean and Castiel, sending a quick glance downward.

‘No!’ Castiel shouted, slamming his fist on the table.

Muffin darted away at the sudden outburst, digging his claws into Dean’s leg to get a good momentum. Dean hissed softly and pulled up the edge of his shorts to inspect the thin, red lines. It didn’t look like much, but it hurt a lot more than he thought it should. His mind supplied him with the image of Castiel’s arm, littered with tiny scars. He made himself a note to kiss every single one of them. He was drawn from his thoughts as Castiel continued to speak.

‘We haven’t even finished the initial ritual because I fucked it up! And it does _not_ involve sex!’ Castiel said. ‘It’s…um…’ He looked to Dean and licked his lips. ‘I’m not quite sure what it involves, actually. Kissing underwater or something.’

Dean looked from Castiel to Jody and Crowley—both had an eager look about them. ‘It’s uh…pretty much just like he said.’

‘And you were gonna just go with the flow until you drowned or didn’t know what to do next?’ Crowley asked Castiel.

Castiel shrugged as he nodded. He trusted Dean not to accidentally drown him, but he didn’t know just what was expected from his end. Were there words? Squeaks or whistles he was supposed to make? ‘I’m sure Dean would have guided me along just fine,’ he said as Dean nodded along.

‘We can leave, so you two can finish,’ Jody offered, still not taking her eyes off Dean.

‘They can have their little…wedding or whatever in the middle of the ocean,’ Crowley argued. ‘They had their chance to do it here.’

Jody raised a brow as Crowley looked away with a loud huff, crossing his arms. She turned her face back to Dean with a triumphant grin. ‘You can do whatever you like wherever you like,’ she said.

‘I’m…for the middle of the ocean, myself,’ Dean said quietly. He couldn’t help the blush that surfaced as Jody’s grin widened. ‘Er… Not that it matters.’

‘It _does_ matter,’ Castiel insisted. ‘I still want to do this, but there will just have to be some sacrifices made. Mainly, I’m not going to attempt swimming in that skirt.’

‘Will you at least wear the body glitter?’ Dean asked slowly.

Castiel stared ahead as all eyes went to him. He had gone right through his breakdown only to end up in a world that was more insane than anything he could have imagined. There really was some sort of mermaid conspiracy. Everyone was turning out to be a mermaid or know about them. At least he found out before his brother. And that was another thing…

Gabriel was going to be insufferable. He was going to be even more driven to find _something_. And how was Castiel supposed to perform his drunken tirades when he was sleeping with proof of a mythological creature’s existence? As he thought about it, mermaids still didn’t make sense. If he were drunk, he would probably just angrily go off on how impossible they were. Charlie could easily edit the footage to remove anything that might slip.

‘Er? Cas? Babe?’

‘Yes. Glitter. Of course. Sorry. My mind was wandering,’ Castiel replied. He smiled reassuringly at Dean’s worried expression. ‘Nothing bad. Just my ruined image.’

‘So everyone is going to see the real you,’ Crowley said in a bored tone. ‘A pugnacious, horny bastard.’

‘I’m not that bad. I’m not as argumentative anymore,’ Castiel said.

Crowley gave him a look that spoke volumes of how much he believed Castiel.

‘I don’t pick up random…’ Castiel glanced to the side at Dean, and sighed in annoyance as Crowley sniggered. ‘Well, I don’t organize orgies anymore. That has to count for _something_.’

Jody reached across the table and patted Castiel’s hand. ‘If course it does.’

‘He’s still a bastard,’ Crowley muttered.

‘I know exactly who my father is.’

‘I think he means you can be a jerk,’ Dean said, lightly tapping Castiel’s arm. ‘Remember the hallway?’ He smirked as Castiel gave him a half-hearted glare. ‘I’m learning,’ he said proudly.

‘Great,’ Castiel dryly replied.

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel stared at the ceiling with his arm resting across his forehead. He gasped lightly as Sam’s warm tongue continued to slowly lick the length of his cock as he came down from his orgasm. ‘Fu-uck, Sam,’ he whined as he blindly reached down to touch Sam’s hair. He gave up and concentrated on pushing himself up.

Sam grinned as Gabriel tried to sit up, resting on shaky elbows. ‘Take it you liked that?’

‘Better than coffee,’ Gabriel replied. He bit his lip at the sight of Sam smiling up at him from between his thighs. ‘You can wake me up with a blowjob anytime you want. You make an amazing alarm clock.’

Sam crawled up along Gabriel’s body and pushed him back down against the mattress. ‘Glad to be of service,’ he said before kissing the man beneath him.

Gabriel gently pushed against Sam’s chest and tried to give him a stern stare. ‘I’m still mad at you, though.’

Sam nodded as he sighed. ‘Yeah, I wasn’t expecting to be forgiven that easily,’ he said as he began to sit up. He yelped as arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him back down.

‘Think of all the angry sex we can have, now!’ Gabriel chuckled at Sam’s confused stare. ‘Won’t be able to yell at you about anything specific, but, fuck, angry sex is therapeutic.’

Gabriel’s ringtone sounded, and he sighed heavily as he let Sam off him. ‘That’d be Cas. Finally.’ He rolled over and grabbed his phone from where it lay on the floor. ‘How ya’ doin’, baby bro?’

‘Better,’ Castiel slowly answered.

Gabriel could hear the worn tone in his brother’s voice and grimaced. ‘Sorry all this shit got dumped on you… It wasn’t s’posed to be all at once.’

‘No… It’s… Well, it’s not fine. We should have discussed this more. Naomi was just looking for an excuse to get rid of me, and she saw her chance. But everything else…’

‘Right. So, uh… What about you and Dean? How’s _that_ going?’ Gabriel asked. He glanced up and caught Sam’s worried gaze.

‘He’s sided with Jody and Crowley,’ Castiel bitterly replied. ‘They’re all against me.’

Gabriel smiled brightly at Sam and gave him a quick nod and a thumbs up. ‘Great! So he fits right in, huh?’

‘Um… We need to talk…’

Gabriel frowned as he leaned back. ‘About what?’

‘About— Yes, yes, I’m coming. What? No! Dammit, Crowley! Don’t— Dean, get out of that box! No, I am not gonna— You wouldn’t get the reference any— So all you watch is Muppets, porn, and music videos. Great. Oh. Doctor Sexy, too. Wonderful. I still won’t… I don’t care what Crowley says! Jody, stop encouraging him! I… I gotta go. I— Fine! Gabriel, you’re— I’m inviting him! Gabriel, come to the Four Seasons at six. You can bring Sam, too. Crowley and Jody are paying. Okay?’

‘Okay...’

‘Goodbye.’

Gabriel stared at his phone as the line went dead. ‘Okay. That was weird.’

‘What was?’

‘We’ve been invited to dinner. Free dinner. From Crowley,’ Gabriel said in slow uncertainty.

‘And that’s…?’ Sam prompted.

‘I don’t know. Good? Bad? Something in-between?’ Gabriel shrugged his shoulders as he stood. He hoped it was going to be all right. ‘Public place, so it shouldn’t be too bad.’

‘I guess I’m not on the same page,’ Sam said as he watched Gabriel start to dress. ‘Is this Crowley guy good or bad?’

Gabriel paused with one leg in his pants. ‘He’s…well…not evil-evil, but don’t trust him, okay? Cas gets weird around him. Like…like they’re plotting something,’ he tried to explain. ‘I’ve met Jody a couple times, and _she’s_ sane, so…yeah.’

‘Then why do you seem so worried?’

Gabriel dropped back next to Sam, letting his pants fall to his ankles. ‘Let’s see here… Boat ride across the lagoon. Gee, I _wonder_. I’m wearing a lifejacket. I don’t care how much you laugh at me, I’m wearing one. But that’s beside the point. The big thing is Crowley. He’s in the same line of work as Cas. Shark expert, if you will. And he’s _smart_.’

‘So be careful,’ Sam finished. He wrapped his arm around Gabriel and kissed the side of his head. ‘I think I’ll manage.’

‘Yeah, but what about Dean?’ Gabriel let out a frustrated growl. He frowned as Sam made soft clicks beside him. ‘That is so weird.’

‘Just trying to comfort you,’ Sam said with a smile. ‘Is it helping?’

‘I don’t know, but it’s definitely distracting. How do you… Y’know what? I don’t wanna know how. Not yet.’

Sam bit back an apology and chose to stroke Gabriel’s hair instead. ‘Dean’s good at adjusting. He managed to fool you _and_ Cas. I think he’d make a good hustler,’ he said.

Gabriel nodded before tilting up to give Sam a quick peck. ‘Yeah, you guys do seem to go with the flow pretty easily.’

‘Well, I _am_ a m—’

Gabriel pressed his finger to Sam’s lips. ‘No. Don’t you dare start that. Leave the cheesy humor to me, thank you.’

 


	33. Chapter 33

Gabriel nervously paced Sam’s room, his eyes flicking from the window and back to the bathroom. ‘I should call him and cancel,’ he said as he began another lap from one wall to the other.

‘You’ll be fine,’ Sam called back from the bathroom. He leaned over the edge of the tub and tried to catch Gabriel’s eye as the other passed in front of the door. ‘The boat won’t capsize, and you’re not gonna fall in. And even if you did, I’d just jump right in and save you.’

‘No, I mean Crowley,’ Gabriel quickly replied. ‘Um… Him. Possibly finding out. And uh…yeah.’ He paused and entered the bathroom, sitting on the toilet to watch Sam. ‘Take it you go through a lot of soap?’

Sam laughed as he washed his hair. ‘Not as much as you’d think. If I use soap on my scales, then I have to be really careful to make sure I get every last bit off and out from under them. Gets real itchy if I dry out after missing a spot,’ he explained.

Gabriel knelt beside the tub and stuck his hand into the water that was pooling at the bottom. Hesitantly, he lifted his hand and touched the pale yellow scales where he assumed Sam’s thigh would be. ‘This is so weird,’ he mumbled.

Sam’s fins strained against the sides of the tub as Gabriel’s fingers traced his scales. He suppressed a gasp as the fingers made their way to his secondary fins. He tightened his grip on the shower head and closed his eyes. He didn’t want to make any sudden movements or noises to scare Gabriel off, and it got harder the more those fingers teased his fin.

He lost the battle and leaned his head back, letting loose a soft and needy whine. In an instant the fingers were gone, and Sam’s shoulders dropped in disappointment. His eyes flew open as Gabriel’s hand was back in full force and making its way up to his crotch. He turned his head to face Gabriel and moaned as fingers fluttered against his slit. ‘Oh, God…’

Gabriel grinned as he massaged the edges of the opening. Without looking, he could almost fool himself into thinking that he was about to finger a woman. His knuckles brushed against what he assumed was Sam’s cock, and he swallowed, keeping his eyes locked onto Sam’s. He dipped his fingers into the wet warmth of Sam, and he held his breath as Sam’s eyes shut and he clicked his appreciation.

Licking his lips, he leaned forward to press his lips against Sam’s in an effort to distract himself as he wrapped his hand around Sam’s cock. His brows furrowed at the slick and unfamiliar feel, and he shut his eyes as he threw himself into the kiss, letting muscle memory take over his hand.

It was working just fine until Sam stilled his hand and leaned away. He opened his eyes to find Sam frowning at him. ‘What?’

‘You don’t want to do this,’ Sam replied as he guided Gabriel’s hand away.

Gabriel’s eyes darted away and he sucked on his lower lip. ‘I-I… Sorry,’ he mumbled dejectedly.

‘It’s fine,’ Sam assured him. ‘I mean it. I don’t want you to do anything you’re not into, and I don’t want you to force yourself just to make me happy. Okay?’

Gabriel nodded. ‘I’m trying. I thought I could get past the weirdness of it, but uh… I keep getting these flashes of this story Cas told about that guy and the dolphin, and…well,’ he trailed off as he sat back on his heels.

‘Or did you just wanna distract me long enough so we’d miss dinner,’ Sam said with a sly grin.

Gabriel blushed and shrugged indifferently. ‘That’s uh…part of the reason,’ he admitted. ‘And I’m really antsy and wanna burn off some energy, and other than the rainbow dolphin dick, it seemed like a good idea.’

‘Rainbow dolphin dick? Really?’

‘It’s a little…’ Gabriel huffed in frustration and stood. ‘Look, my brother sends me dick pics. Not the normal kind. Whales, snakes…some weird spikey thing that gave me nightmares for a month… If he wants me to leave him alone for a while— _really_ leave him alone—he sends me a dick pic and an article on whatever kind of animal he saw fit to traumatize me with. And I can’t just _not_ look. These things look fuckin’ weird! That spiky one? I thought it was a flower at first! And I can’t avoid them ‘cuz they’re replies to my emails! Even if I have images disabled, I have to look. You just can’t _not_ look after you read the crazy shit describing that…crazy shit!’

‘And this has to do with…’

‘Traumatized, Sam!’ Gabriel exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. ‘I am completely and utterly traumatized when it comes to non-human dick. Throw in the fact that the colors are like a gaudy dildo… I…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do this, and… I’m sorry! I love you, but this is something that is too… Y’know… Boat ride sounds good right now… And, oh, God… Why are my fingers tingling?’ He settled atop the toilet, staring at his hand. ‘Please don’t tell me you’ve got acid in there,’ he whimpered.

‘Here…’ Sam took Gabriel’s hand in his own and wiped it off with a wash cloth. ‘It’s something that can help heal small cuts and uh…make pearls.’

‘Pearls? You’re an oyster, now?’ Gabriel said with a helpless tone. He hung his head and groaned miserably as Sam kissed his fingers.

‘Not an oyster,’ Sam said in amusement. ‘I never dwelled on how it works… I’d say ask your brother.’ He leaned over the edge of the tub and touched Gabriel’s cheek. ‘Everything’s gonna be okay,’ he promised.

Gabriel met Sam’s gaze and nodded. ‘Thanks,’ he mumbled, leaning into Sam’s touch.

.-.-.-.-.

Samandriel frowned in annoyance as he crossed out the night’s schedule for Gabriel. He was trying to be understanding. Castiel was having a nervous breakdown, and Gabriel needed to be there for him. He understood that. He knew that Gabriel felt responsible for Castiel’s well-being. But that didn’t excuse all the other little push backs and rescheduling requests. The past few days were worse than normal.

Gabriel had claimed ‘personal issues pertaining to a particular hotel employee that need to be sorted out’ as his excuse the day before. They needed to get his voiceover recorded for the episode, so Charlie could get the audio properly edited, and it had yet to happen.

Across from Samandriel, Anna growled in annoyance. ‘He’s yours. All yours. You can keep him. I’m not dealing with that lunatic anymore,’ Anna said as she sat up straight. She turned her laptop around to show the latest email she had received from their illustrator. ‘He wrote a story about it eating the bones of whales! Chupacabra of the Sea! What the hell?!’

Samandriel looked up with a bright smile. ‘Really?! Is this for the sea monster?’ He looked over the image on the laptop—a vicious-looking serpent with a long tail and a crocodilian mouth spread wide, showing off its teeth. ‘This is amazing! I’m compiling a tie-in book of these for the show.’

‘Wonderful,’ Anna flatly replied. ‘You get to deal with him directly from now on. I am washing my hands of this.’

Samandriel didn’t look away from the screen as Anna got up and left, too engrossed with reading the story that went with the drawing. He quickly finished it and nervously chewed his lip as he stared at the open email. Anna would no longer be handling communication with Mr. Milligan. He forwarded the email to himself then logged out of Anna’s account and into his own.

There was no reason for his heart to be beating so quickly. It was just an email. It was just business. He nodded to himself and set to work.

_Dear_

No. That was too personal.

_Mr. Milligan,_

_Anna will no longer be handling your submissions. You may send them to me, Samandriel, directly. I look forward to further correspondence with you._

_He licked his lips and took a deep breath._

_I do not know if Anna has mentioned it yet, but I will eventually need a photograph of you for the credits of the final episode of the first season. If you could get this to me as quickly as possible, it would be greatly appreciated._

_Thank you,_

_Samandriel Suesser (Alfie)_

_PS. On a personal note, I would like you to know that your artwork is absolutely amazing, and your writeups have been nothing short of entertaining. I look forward to seeing more!_

He smiled widely as he sent the message. He didn’t actually need a photograph, but he wanted to see just who he was working with. He had a virtual crush on the artist and desperately wanted a face to associate with the man. He had fantasized that A. Milligan was a grizzled, older man with no time for nonsense. Perhaps he drank cognac in front of a roaring fire as he read about the adventures of Alan Quartermaine.

Samandriel sighed happily and shifted his attention back to his day planner. His day had just gotten better, and nothing would be able to bring him down. Not even a scathing reply from Mr. Milligan. No, he would expect nothing less from the man than to be torn apart for being so presumptuous as to really expect the reclusive man to provide a picture of himself.

.-.-.-.-.

Elsewhere, halfway across the globe…

A soft knock sounded on the door of a lavishly decorated study. Behind a large, mahogany desk sat a blond man, looking over a pile of paperwork. Taking up one corner of the desk was a lamp; it’s base was a wooden mermaid perched on a rock. The nameplate on the desk read ‘Lucifer’ in an elaborate, flowing script.

Lucifer looked up in annoyance. ‘Enter,’ he called out. His frown deepened upon seeing who was interrupting his work. ‘Azazel. What is it?’

‘Your pet is asking to have his picture taken,’ Azazel replied.

‘Why?’ Lucifer asked in confusion.

‘For that show, apparently.’

‘Again, I ask: _Why_?’

Azazel sighed as he shook his head. ‘He received an email requesting his photo for the credits,’ he explained. ‘I already told him “no”, but he insisted on speaking with either you or Michael.’

‘Oh. Very well. We’ll find him something presentable. Something blue?’ Lucifer said as he tapped his pen against his chin. ‘Yes. Blue. Get him dried out and fitted. If he can sit still long enough, he can have a whole photoshoot. Whatever makes him happy.’

‘Sir, I wholeheartedly think this is a bad idea. You shouldn’t let him get away with so much. He’ll start thinking he’s a person,’ Azazel argued, leaning over Lucifer’s desk. ‘Lucifer, you put me in charge of his wellbeing. After the last one—’

‘After you did so well with the last one?’ a new voice interrupted.

‘Michael.’ Azazel returned Michael’s glare in full force.

Michael narrowed his eyes as he moved to stand beside Lucifer. ‘If Triton—’

‘Poseidon,’ Lucifer lightly interrupted.

‘Triton—wants his picture taken for _Mysterious Mysteries_ , then so be it. A happy merman means happy employers. And happy employers means your work environment is more enjoyable. Understood?’ Michael finished with a note that left no room for argument and crossed his arms. He lifted his chin and silently challenged Azazel.

‘Yes, _sirs_ ,’ Azazel growled before leaving the room, shutting the door with a little more force than was necessary.

Michael sighed and leaned against Lucifer’s chair. ‘I don’t trust him…’

‘Didn’t hire him because I trust him. He’s just good at bringing plans together,’ Lucifer said distractedly as he bent back over his paperwork.

‘Better than Uriel, I hope. What are you working on?’

‘Castiel’s _new_ contract,’ Lucifer replied. He glanced up at Michael in annoyance. ‘You said you wanted a new doctor for Poseidon.’

‘Triton.’

‘Well, Castiel is a better choice than Crowley, and we finally have a way to rope him in.’

‘Do you really think he’ll cooperate?’ Michael asked as he read over a few of the points in the contract.

‘Do you really think he’d turn this down?’ Lucifer replied with a sly grin. He tapped his pen against the base of his desklamp.

Michael thinned his lips as he stared the wooden mermaid. ‘And just _how_ do you propose to break it to him without causing a meltdown?’

Lucifer shrugged as he crossed out what he had just written. ‘I would say… It’s worth the risk. Just don’t put him in a position of power, and he’s easy to deal with.’

‘Until we have to start paying medical bills.’

‘Maybe we’ll get lucky, and he’ll strangle Azazel. Then we only have to worry about hiding a body.’

Michael barely stifled a laugh and quickly covered his mouth.

Lucifer smirked without looking up. ‘Made you la—ow.’ He rubbed his shoulder and looked up in time to see Michael’s back disappear behind the door separating their offices. ‘Does this mean you’re speaking to me again? Or was this just business?’ He huffed dejectedly when he was met with silence.

 


	34. Chapter 34

‘How do you want to do this?’ Crowley asked, looking at Castiel for an answer. ‘ _Expose_ everything.’

Castiel glanced around the hotel restaurant. ‘Not here,’ he said slowly.

‘Well, of course _not here_. We’ll retire for drinks and dessert back at the bungalow,’ Crowley replied. He smirked and nodded to himself. ‘I think it will be more fun to watch them stew before then. Hm… Casually slipping the reveal into conversation. Like when I found out about the orgies. The look on your face…’

‘I remember your black eye,’ Castiel said blandly.

‘Yes… Fortunately, Gabriel has more… Never mind. He’s just not as violent.’ Crowley moved his gaze from Castiel to Dean and frowned. ‘You’re like a squirrel. Is your brother better at blending in than you?’ he asked Dean.

Dean looked up from inspecting his fork. ‘Uh, yeah. He’s been dry a few years and has it down.’

Crowley eyed the fork in Dean’s hands. ‘If you put that in your hair, so help me…’

Dean dropped the fork back on the table and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. ‘I was just looking at it. I haven’t seen one with so much…extra stuff. It looks nice,’ he grumbled petulantly. He could feel the blush creeping up his cheeks and refused to look anyone in the eye. A hand lightly touched his knee, and he glanced over at Castiel’s small smile.

‘Don’t mind him. This is just how he acts when he’s nervous,’ Castiel said as he gave Dean a reassuring squeeze.

‘I’m not—’ Crowley stopped himself and let out an annoyed breath. ‘Maybe if your klepto of a boyfriend wouldn’t eye the dining utensils like they were jewelry, I wouldn’t be worried.’

‘I’m not a—’ Dean dropped his voice as a waiter passed by the table. ‘I’m not a klepto.’

‘I do so love your selective vocabulary,’ Crowley muttered into his glass of wine.

‘I think he’s doing pretty damn good,’ Jody said, smiling and nodding at Dean. ‘I can’t imagine what the culture shock was like for you. I went to Scotland to meet Roddy’s mother and that threw me through one hell of a loop. And I had warning!’

‘That wasn’t culture shock, that was just meeting my mother,’ Crowley said before downing the rest of his glass. ‘We all suffer witchy-shock-syndrome around her.’

‘Rowena was a _treat_!’ Jody said with a roll of her eyes. ‘But, seriously, _her_ I could handle. It was having to learn another language I couldn’t take. I could barely understand you.’

Crowley frowned at his empty glass before looking to his wife. ‘What language?’

Jody’s face split into a wide grin. ‘Och! Ah dinnae ken where ah left me breeks! C’mere ya’ bonnie numpty an’ give us a nip,’ she said in a very fake, heavy Scottish accent as she leaned against Crowley. She gave his cheek a peck before leaning back.

‘I do _not_ sound like that!’ Crowley hissed.

‘Only when you drink enough,’ Jody admitted. ‘It’s cute. _When_ I can understand you.’

Crowley flushed bright red as he spluttered indignantly. ‘I am very well-spoken, and a simple drink will not—’

‘Okay, okay. Drinking _and_ just after talking to your mother,’ Jody said. She lightly touched Crowley’s shoulder and smiled—all traces of teasing gone.

‘Sometimes, all you have to do is mention her,’ Castiel added helpfully. ‘So tonight should be fun.’

‘What are we talking about?’ Dean asked uncertainly.

‘Crowley has worked very hard at keeping the world from knowing that he’s a simple Scotsman,’ Castiel explained, earning a glare from the man in question.

‘I am not— No. You know what? A lot of people find the Scottish brogue sexy,’ Crowley said defensively.

Jody snorted into her drink and gave Crowley a side long glance. ‘I think you have that confused with an Irish lilt. What _you_ have is unintelligible.’

‘Wait, so is that bad? Being a, uh, Scotsman?’ Dean asked. ‘Is it…contagious?’ he added as an afterthought. He sighed as the rest of the table erupted in laughter and rolled his eyes. ‘So that answers _that_ question…’

‘It’s where he’s from,’ Castiel replied. ‘His accent. I’d say you’re…mostly Midwestern. Did you watch a lot of Westerns?’

‘I _like_ cowboys,’ Dean grumbled, crossing his arms.

Castiel covered the interested noise he made by grabbing his glass and taking a swig.

‘Fancy that. So does Cas,’ Crowley said. He looked up and caught sight of Gabriel and Sam. The pair looked lost and out of place at the restaurant’s entrance. He raised his hand and waved them over. ‘Remember: no fish-talk,’ he said quietly.

Sam and Gabriel reached the table, and Gabriel forced a smile as they sat down.

‘So… This is nice? You _are_ paying, right? Cas didn’t just say that?’ Gabriel asked Crowley with a suspicious frown. ‘I better not get stuck with the bill. Again.’

‘Oh, I’m certain I could find a way to get _someone_ else to reimburse me,’ Crowley replied. ‘I do some freelance work, and they’re possibly interested in getting Castiel to help out every once in a while.’

Castiel groaned lowly. He had almost forgotten about Lucifer and Michael. ‘My life is a conspiracy,’ he mumbled.

‘He can’t. He has the show to work on,’ Gabriel argued. He paused as a throat was cleared, and he looked at Jody in apology. ‘Hey, Jody. It’s been a while.’

‘Too long,’ Jody replied. She moved her eyes over Gabriel to Sam and smiled appreciatively. ‘And who is _this_ handsome young man?’

‘Jody, Sam. Sam, Jody,’ Gabriel said, waving his hand between the two. ‘Sam is Dean’s younger brother.’ He licked his lips, wondering if any further explanation was needed. ‘He, uh…works at the hotel I’m staying at.’

‘Cas said as much,’ Jody said with a nod. ‘He didn’t say just how handsome, though. But I definitely understand the ‘cabana boy’ moniker, now. You’re right out of a travel poster! If you’re not in your hotel’s advertising, you need to be.’

Sam blushed under the attention and gave Jody a friendly smile. ‘That’s not the kind of image we’re trying to promote,’ he said. ‘But I’m sure there are a few of our regulars that wish it was.’

An hour passed by agonisingly slow for Gabriel. He was on edge, and no matter how strong his drinks were, nothing seemed to be calming him. Crowley kept making small remarks that had him jumping in confusion. While half-listening, he would catch words like ‘scales’ or ‘fishy,’ but it always turned out to be something innocent. ‘The scales tipping in my favor’ or ‘Dean’s long tale…about fishing.’ He would have brushed it off as his own paranoia, but the smirk on Crowley’s lips had him thinking otherwise.

Everyone else looked blissfully unaware of Crowley’s choice in phrasing. Everyone except Castiel, who just looked put out and would occasionally send Crowley dirty looks. Anytime Gabriel tried to catch his brother’s eye, Castiel would shrug and busy himself with food or drink.

When Crowley stood, declaring they would adjourn to the bungalow for dessert, Gabriel felt sick to his stomach. He followed along, dread growing with every step down the long pier lined with bungalows. He felt like he could use another drink, but with how unsteady his steps were, he figured he'd be better off sobering up.

They entered the bungalow, and Gabriel made a beeline for the couch. He let himself fall onto it without looking and winced as something dug into his back. Leaning forward, he reached behind and grabbed what he first assumed was a simple leather jacket. When he held it in front of himself, he had to blink several times at all the sequins that sparkled at him. ‘Wow, Jody. Didn’t think you went in for this kinda stuff.’

Jody snorted in reply as she came out from the kitchenette. ‘ _That_ belongs to Castiel. Only shiny thing I wanna wear is my badge.’

Gabriel shifted his gaze to stare his brother in suspicion. ‘Cas? Is there anything else you wanna tell me?’ he asked.

Castiel coughed as he looked away, blushing brightly. ‘I uh… I used to be a drag queen?’

‘You _what_?!’

‘I don’t do it anymore,’ Castiel said with a shrug.

‘He’s retired. Unless it’s a holiday,’ Crowley added, grinning at the dirty look Castiel gave him.

‘Is _that_ why you flaked out on New Year’s?’ Gabriel asked, narrowing his eyes. He looked from Castiel to the gaudy jacket he held. He licked his lips and smiled as an idea struck him. ‘This is great! Can you do an episode in drag? Can you put _me_ in drag?’

‘With _that_ bone structure?!’ Crowley laughed.

‘Shut up, Crowley!’

Castiel’s mouth opened and closed as he tried to comprehend what Gabriel was asking. ‘Why would you…?’

‘We could dress up like dryads!’ Gabriel said as he stood.

‘No! I’m not…’ Castiel backed away as Gabriel drew closer. He glanced around the room, feeling annoyed at how everyone was just watching the pair in amusement. It was bad enough that he had been wrangled into doing drunken rants, but he would not let Gabriel manipulate him into doing drag for his show. He needed to cut this line of thought immediately, and he only knew of one topic that would work quickly and effectively. ‘Michael and Lucifer know about mermaids!’ he shouted.

Gabriel dropped his arms and stared at Castiel for a moment. ‘They what?’

‘I thought you wanted to be gentle,’ Crowley said conversationally as he took a seat on the couch.

‘They _know_?! _He_ knows?!’ Gabriel shouted, pointing at Crowley. ‘They know and…and they never told me? Why wouldn’t they _tell_ me? We’re friends. Sorta. Kinda. Okay, maybe we’re not friends, but they know how much cryptids mean to me! Why would they _lie_ to me?!’

‘You _have_ met them, right?’ Crowley replied.

‘Everyone is lying to me!’ Gabriel wailed. ‘I really shouldn’t be surprised. First Cas, then Sam, and now _this_! Everyone’s a goddamned mermaid, and I’m the last to find out!’ He tossed the jacket at Castiel’s face and huffed as he crossed his arms.

‘Anna and Balthazar don’t know,’ Castiel said as he folded his jacket. He looked over as Dean slowly reached for it. With a sigh, he handed it over and tried not smile as Dean quickly pulled it on.

‘Oh, God. _Alfie_ knows?!’ Gabriel wailed.

‘Er, not that I’m aware,’ Castiel replied.

Gabriel moved to stand in front of Sam and rested his head against the other’s chest. He sighed as Sam began rubbing soothing circles on his back. ‘This sucks.’

‘I know,’ Castiel said quietly.

Gabriel took a deep breath before turning around in Sam’s arms and leaning back against Sam. He looked around the room, carefully studying each person.  Everyone but him seemed to be taking the news pretty well. Sam followed his own brother’s lead of calmness, and Gabriel guessed that Castiel and Dean had already spoken about the issue—Castiel certainly didn’t seem to be worried. Neither did Crowley nor Jody. ‘So… You seem better today,’ he said, looking Castiel over.

Castiel nodded and rubbed at his neck in embarrassment. ‘You were right. I snapped.’

‘Any casualties?’

‘Just my pride.’

‘Well, get ready to bury it, ‘cuz your scene’s tomorrow,’ Gabriel said with a smirk. Poking fun at his baby brother was always a good way to distract him from his own worries—and now he had so much more ammo.

‘Are you sure that’s wise?’ Castiel asked, glancing from Sam to Dean. He grimaced when he noticed that Dean was primping in front of a mirror.

‘It’ll just be you, me, and Charlie. She’ll edit and destroy anything we don’t want,’ Gabriel replied. ‘I need you blackout drunk again. Think you can manage that?’

Castiel sighed as he watched Dean. When Dean turned to face him with a bright grin, he couldn’t stop the smile that surfaced. He could do this. He wasn’t _that_ horribly embarrassed when watching himself—even less so, now that his so-called secret past was out in the open. And then there was the fact that getting drunk was now in the budget. ‘Get me a good bottle of tequila, and we’ll see where I end up.’

‘Good. Now that _that’s_ settled… What do we do about Michael and Lucifer?’ Gabriel asked.

‘They have a little mermaid of their own, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they wanted Cas to play veterinarian,’ Crowley explained. ‘Mouthy little shit seems happy enough, so I wouldn’t be worried about them treating him poorly. They treat their pets better than their employees,’ he finished with a grumble.

Jody leaned down and kissed Crowley’s cheek. ‘I did warn you about those two,’ she said as she pulled away. ‘Now! Who wants dessert?’


	35. Chapter 35

Castiel felt a sense of deja vu wash over him as he watched himself on the laptop screen. He could recall flashes of the events he watched, but not enough to piece it all together into anything coherent—not that anything involving his brother usually turned out coherent anyway. This time, he didn’t have a glass of whiskey to take the brunt of his embarrassment. ‘And people _like_ this?’ he mumbled incredulously as he watched himself trudge grumpily across the screen.

_‘So whaddya think about sea serpents?’ Gabriel’s voice asked._

_‘Define “sea serpent,”’ Castiel replied, leaning unsteadily against a palm tree._

_‘You know… Big, long, mysterious, uh…sea…serpents,’ Gabriel haltingly replied._

_‘Like an oarfish?’ Castiel said hatefully. ‘If you dragged me out here for a stupid oarfish… Those actually **exist** and fulfill every feature of the classic sea serpent. Maybe you should change your show to about how common animals are mistaken for your cryptid trash.’_

_‘Hey!’_

_He pushed off the tree with a dirty look, mumbling about oarfish and his useless brother._

_‘They can’t be **that** common if people keep mistaking them for…’ Charlie trailed off as Castiel shot her a withering glare. The boom mic dropped in frame for a moment then quickly shot back up when Gabriel cleared his throat._

_Castiel let out a frustrated sigh as he turned his back on the camera, glancing momentarily off screen. ‘As… With the progression of technology and infrastructure, we are able to discover…species that were previously thought extinct or…made up. We have only explored about five percent of the ocean. Hell, for all we know some species of **mermaid** exists,’ he said. ‘ **Realistically** , they’d look more like a manatee o-or a…a viperfish! Oh, God. That would be **horrifying** …’ He broke off into hysterical laughter, slumping against the tree and slowly sinking to the ground._

The screen turned black, and Gabriel paused the footage. ‘We’re gonna get some drawings inserted here. We decided to cut the part where you ranted about hating me and you life, and the _producers_ , and how Dean was this perfect, wonderful… What was the word you used? Oh, yeah! Asshole.’ He raised his brow at Castiel as he looked at his brother. ‘Besides just initially mentioning mermaids, I was kinda impressed that you _didn’t_ slip up,’ he said with a grin. ‘But we couldn’t keep the rant. Way too many expletives. The whole tirade woulda been a bleep.’

‘Don’t people think that’s amusing?’ Castiel asked. His eyes lingered on the bruise Gabriel was sporting on his jaw—he had yet to find out how Gabriel had acquired it, but he had a feeling he had been the cause.

‘ _Some_ crowds, but I’m aiming for an audience that’s in this for learning, not just the humor. Don’t need you _completely_ stealing the show!’

‘I don’t _want_ to steal it!’ Castiel moaned as he leaned back. He growled as Gabriel pulled him back up.

‘Not so fast! You can mope after we’re done here.’ Gabriel unpaused the video, grinning and bouncing in his seat. ‘This is after you calmed down with another drink.’

_‘Alright, fine! Monster? Define “monster!” Because, right now? **You’re** a monster!’ Castiel shouted, his words slurring. ‘The elusive assbutt of Illinois! I’m out here, **trying** to be serious, and you’re… Ugh! You keep going on about sea dragons, sea serpents, and sea monsters! They are not real! Not in the sense that **you’re** thinking! And even if they **were** , they would not… They would not look how you’re expecting them! You keep showing these images o-o-of things! Not real…things! Fake things! Made up things! Things that could not physically exist in the environment you’re claiming they’re found in!’_

_He stumbled and almost fell over, but Dean had run on screen to catch him. He glared at Dean before sighing and patting the hand on his shoulder, quietly assuring that he was fine. He watched as Dean moved off screen then stared forlornly at his feet._

_‘If…if you want people to believe in this…bull crap, then you need to at least do some research into what these creatures would physically need in order to survive. You can’t have a creature that supposedly lives off seaweed and depict it with the teeth of a carnivore. You can’t have a large oceanic monstrosity living in a small lake,’ Castiel said. He scratched at his head, sending his hair into disarray. ‘There **is** plenty of unexplored ocean out there. Hell. Even on land there are still new species being discovered… But you can’t just disregard their environment for the sole purpose of your fantasy!’_

_‘So… What do you think a classic sea dragon should look like?’ Gabriel prompted. ‘But uh…you can’t pick anything that currently exists.’_

_Castiel crossed his arms and stared at the sky as he thought. ‘Similar to a plesiosaurus. You would have the slim length of a sea snake for the neck and the bulk of a…a…thingy. Big, scaly… A crocodile,’ he replied. ‘They’re extinct, but… There are other species previously thought extinct that we come across every now and again. Coelacanth, for instance.’_

_‘No idea what that is!’_

_‘A fish,’ Castiel deadpanned. ‘Look, I think…’ He paused, staring off screen as he tilted his head and licked his lips. ‘I think you’re dealing with a whale carcass here. It’s not uncommon, and they look pretty fantastical when you don’t know what you’re looking at.’_

Castiel sputtered as Gabriel shook him excitedly. ‘What?! What did I do?’

‘You gave me my in!’ Gabriel replied, grinning wildly. ‘This is perfect! We get to go back to the original plan! Sure, we don’t have our corpse, but I’m sure you’ve got connections that can hook us up with some cool pics.’

‘I have a few, but I’m charging you full price.’

'Whatever. Keep watching. This is where you try to throw me into the pond,' Gabriel said gleefully.

Sure enough, Castiel had called for Dean to take the camera so he could speak with Gabriel.

_'Yep. Just hold her steady. Like that,' Gabriel said to Dean. He looked into the camera and winked. 'Sorry, kids. A little short staffed today.'_

_' **You're** short,' Castiel bit out petulantly._

_Gabriel rolled his eyes before joining his brother. 'Whatcha need?'_

_'Only this,' Castiel said as he placed his hand on Gabriel's shoulder. He quickly grabbed Gabriel's collar and began dragging him toward a pond. 'Why do you insist on ruining my life?! I'll drown you! And when Mother asks what happened, I'll say you fell into a puddle!'_

_Gabriel struggled against Castiel's hold and squawked when they reached the water. He slipped, pulling Castiel down into the shallow water with him. 'C'mon! Don't be like this, Cassie! Think of our poor, dead mother!'_

_Castiel swung his arm out, clipping Gabriel on the jaw before overbalancing and falling back into the water. 'She's not dead, you psychotic oaf!'_

_The pair continued to swat and splash at each other as Dean's voice whispered in the background._

_'Should we stop them?'_

_Charlie sighed, and the tip of the boom mic entered the frame. 'Nah. Let 'em get it out of their systems.'_

.-.-.-.-.

That evening, the whole crew had gathered in the dining room. Laughter filled the room as Samandriel recounted one of the many times he had made an aspirin run in the pouring rain.

‘Well, what do you expect? I was hungover, and you get paid to do that sort of crap!’ Gabriel whined.

Samandriel nodded as he tipped his glass to Gabriel. ‘Best job I’ve had so far,’ he replied. ‘For once, I don’t have to fight for time off. I just schedule you around me!’ He laughed at the indignant look Gabriel shot him.

‘And it’s perfect for _me_ , ‘cuz my birthday is the day before his mom’s!’ Anna added.

‘You were _born_? I thought you fell from the sky ‘cuz God cast you outta Heaven,’ Balthazar said, sniggering.

Anna frowned as she tried to fight her way through the drunken haze clouding her thoughts. She decided it was an insult. ‘Hey… At least I didn’t let the kinkiest lay of my life slip outta my fingers ‘cuz I was too stupid to talk to him!’

Balthazar groaned and let his head fall to the table with a dull thunk. ‘I’m impulsive,’ he said defensively.

‘I’m not _that_ kinky,’ Castiel grumbled at the same time.

‘I finally have something in common with my brother, and he’s managed to out-whore me,’ Gabriel complained before taking a long swig of his drink. ‘Something’s wrong with me. Sam, what’s wrong with me?’ he asked, tilting his head back as Sam passed by, collecting empty glasses.

Sam leaned down and lightly kissed Gabriel’s forehead. ‘You’re an idiot, but at least you’re a cute idiot.’

Gabriel frowned and whined pathetically. He glanced over to where Charlie and Dean were—both bent over a phone and laughing. ‘What are you two doing?’ he asked, squinting in suspicion.

‘They’re texting Crowley,’ Castiel replied. He shook his head slightly at the alarmed expression Gabriel gave him. ‘Nothing incriminating. I think they’re messing with him a little bit. Something about seahorses last time I checked,’ he said dismissively.

‘Only ‘cuz you suggested it,’ Charlie called back. ‘Oh, oh! Skirts made of seaweed and glass beads,’ she said, pointing at the screen.

‘Right…’ Gabriel turned his attention away from the pair and stared at his brother. ‘Why?’

Castiel shrugged. ‘Honestly? Because Jody’s enamored, and Crowley’s a little curious himself. Even if he won’t admit it. The one he’s worked with had little interest in speaking about culture.’ He sighed and smiled softly as Dean reached over and tugged at his shirt.

‘So… Cassandra Couture?’ Dean said with a wide grin. He showed Castiel the image that Crowley had sent.

Castiel felt his face heat up as his thoughts screeched to a halt. Staring back at him was his own smiling face—painted up and framed by a black wig, topped by a glittery cowboy hat. He jumped as Anna leaned over his shoulder to get a look.

‘Oh, she’s pretty,’ she said. ‘One of your exes?’

Castiel blinked and desperately grabbed for the out Anna had unwittingly given him. ‘Ye—’

‘No! That’s _him_! That’s Cassie!’ Charlie exclaimed over Castiel. ‘Show the picture before that one. The one on the bull!’

‘Please don’t,’ he quietly begged.

Dean’s grin became uncertain as he searched Castiel’s face. He didn’t think he did anything wrong. He thought Castiel looked amazing in the pictures, and he was more than willing to show off his gorgeous mate to the world. Then he remembered how Castiel worried over others finding out about his hobbies. ‘Okay,’ he said, nodding.

Before Dean could tuck the phone away, Gabriel had reached over the table and plucked it from Dean’s fingers.

‘I wanna see!’ Gabriel stared at the image in confusion, tilting his head from side to side. ‘Why’s Mom weari— Oh, my God!’ His head shot up to stare at Castiel, wide, blue eyes staring back. He looked back down at the same blue eyes in the picture. ‘How come _you_ get to look like a supermodel in drag, and _I_ end up looking like some jerk going through his girlfriend’s closet?!’

His mouth snapped shut as the table fell silent around him. ‘Not that…I’ve ever tried.’ He hung his head as laughter erupted around him and silently handed the phone to Castiel.

‘If you _really_ want to do your, uh…dryad bit, then I could help you out. I’m not the best at contouring others, but I could give it a try,’ Castiel said as he tucked his phone away. He blinked at the sudden grin Gabriel shot him.

‘You won’t regret it,’ Gabriel promised.

.-.-.-.-.

Meanwhile, in front of a small lake, Lucifer sat in front of a wooden sign, painting it white. Beside him, a young merman with sandy hair and a yellow tail with green markings lay on his stomach, typing away on a laptop.

‘I like this Alfie guy better than Anna,’ he said.

‘Samandriel _is_ a good worker,’ Lucifer admitted as he set his brush aside.

‘And he’s kinda cute,’ he continued, glancing surreptitiously at Lucifer. ‘Wouldn’t mind meeting him. In person. For a little bit.’

‘Poseidon—’

‘Adam,’ he growled, throwing in a threatening series of clicks.

Lucifer looked at Adam with a raised brow. ‘Such language,’ he tutted.

‘You don’t even know what I said!’ Adam shot back, pushing himself up. ‘For all you know, I’m talking about baseball.’

‘I don’t understand what you have against the name. It’s a good, strong name.’

‘So’s Triton.’ Adam grinned as Lucifer glared at the whited-out sign. ‘How’s about you put the name _I_ chose on that sign for once. We all win! I get my name, Michael _doesn’t_ get his, and, well, neither do you, but sometimes the sacrifice is worth it for the other guy to suffer. Right?’

Lucifer sighed and pushed a small tub of black paint toward Adam. ‘Very well. I suppose you’ve earned a turn. It’ll give you a chance to work on your handwriting.’

Adam whistled happily and dragged himself up to the signpost, pulling  his tail completely from the water. He took a paint brush from the small collection that Lucifer had brought with him and began carefully painting his name in a flowing script.

Lucifer stood, shaking his head as he watched the young merman work. He looked over his shoulder when he heard the crunch of someone walking up the small, gravel path to the lake. ‘Michael. So good of you to join us.’

Michael nodded at Lucifer then looked at the sign. ‘So…’

‘Makes him happy,’ Lucifer replied before lowering his voice to a whisper. ‘And it’s distracting him from wanting to join the dating pool.’

‘Who?’ Michael asked, worry creeping up his spine. There were a few of his and Lucifer’s employees who knew of Adam’s existence as a mermaid. The rest simply knew him as the odd, reclusive kid with the wild imagination.

‘Samandriel.’

Michael frowned, trying to remember who Samandriel was. His mind supplied an image of a drunken Gabriel leaning on the shoulder of a young man. The young man had given him an apologetic smile. The only apologetic smile he had ever been inclined to forgive. ‘Gabriel’s gopher?’

Lucifer nodded, not taking his eyes off Adam, who had begun to add little drawings of smiling fish to his sign.

‘Well. I suppose I could think of worse options. You’ll have to fight Gabriel for him, but only if you want the show to fail.’

Lucifer glared at Michael in annoyance. Michael was right, but there had to be another way to have the best of both worlds.

‘Do we have sequins?’

 


	36. Chapter 36

Adam floated past the gravelly bank where he had painted his sign. He admired the way it glittered in the sunlight—it had taken a small amount of begging and the promise to stay with the sign’s upkeep, and he had gotten his sequins and even a few rhinestones. He chirped happily to himself as he ducked under the water to find something for lunch.

When he resurfaced, large trout in hand, he found Azazel staring at his sign critically. He almost dove back down, but Azazel had seen him. He sighed as he was waved over and slowly swam to the shore. He grimaced when he saw that Azazel was holding an empty vial.

‘I’ll be needing some scales and another fluid sample,’ Azazel said as he crouched down and pulled a pair of pliers from his pocket.

Adam’s fins pressed tight against his tail. ‘How about  _ after _ I’ve had lunch?’

‘We can either do this here and now or later. In the infirmary,’ Azazel threatened.

Adam licked his lips and looked around, hoping to catch sight of either Michael or Lucifer. As good of a life as he had in his small lake, he dreaded the moments Azazel would come for his checkups. Even the other specialist was better than this man. He had tried to convince his keepers that as abrasive and rude as Crowley was, at least he didn’t treat Adam like livestock.

‘Later,’ Adam haughtily replied. ‘In the tank.’ He used his tail to pull himself back into deeper water until he could properly swim again. He eyed the hateful glare he was receiving as he swam backwards, not willing to take his eyes off Azazel until he was a good distance away. He took a deep breath and slowly sank beneath the water’s surface. Once he was fully under, he darted away, skimming along the bottom of the lake as he made his way to the western edge of the lake where a cluster of buildings sat. The lake turned into a deep channel that lead into one of the low buildings. He paused before crossing the threshold where the channel turned into a large tank. A few large fish swam past, paying him no mind.

He made his way to the top of the tank and grabbed onto an overhanging platform. As he pulled himself up, he gave a swift beat from his tail to propel him upward and out of the tank. He pulled his tail from the water and looked around the large, darkened room, frowning when he saw the box by the steps leading up to the top of the tank that normally held his clothing was empty. Azazel was one step ahead of him. He should have known the human would catch on to his habits sooner or later.

He hissed a few obscenities and crossed his arms in dismay. The telltale tingle in his tail began, and he almost stuck it back in the water, but something made him stop. There were lab coats in a closet not too far down the hallway. There was a slim chance someone would see him running around naked, but… It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. ‘Oh, fuck the coat,’ he said with a grin.

Maybe Miss Kismet would give him a new glittery shirt if she saw him.

.-.-.-.-.

Dean was sitting on the bed behind Charlie, watching as she worked away on her laptop. The desk was littered with notes, discs, and external drives. She set aside one drive and plugged in another before pulling its contents up on the laptop.

‘This is boring,’ Dean whined as he flopped back on the bed to glare at the ceiling. He clicked out his displeasure and gave a sharp whistle.

Charlie chirped back with a smile. ‘You could always help Sam pack,’ she said.

He remained silent before propping himself onto his elbows. ‘I was kicked out,’ he said with a pout. ‘Apparently, I get too distracted by snowglobes.’

‘They  _ are _ great. The way the glitter and snow just swirls and falls,’ Charlie said wistfully. She sighed, closing her eyes to imagine it. ‘So pretty. I’m not allowed to keep any in the house, but I have a few stashed in the shed back home. I do, however, have a wall of crystal. Cut glass, animals, some blown glass… And when the early morning sun streams in through the window… Oh, it is so worth the compromise.’

Dean nodded as he sat up. ‘Cas said he was gonna give me a room, but I have to promise to keep the door closed. He also mentioned showing me his old drag outfits,’ he said with a wide grin.

Charlie let out a high pitched squeal and spun in her chair to face Dean. ‘I have to be in on that! I  _ need _ to see those dresses up close! Since he doesn’t do it anymore, do you think he’ll let me have one? Or two?’

‘I don’t…think so,’ he said, uncertain how much of Castiel’s personal life he could discuss with Charlie. Castiel had mentioned only doing drag on holidays anymore, but Dean had no idea when holidays were nor how many. ‘You’d be better off asking  _ him _ .’

Charlie pouted a little before glumly turning back to her screen. ‘I’ll have to catch him on a good day, then. From what Gabriel says, you never know when that is. He just goes for it and hopes for the best. Damn the consequences and all that.’

‘I don’t think that’s the best route,’ Dean said. ‘I mean, look what happened when I showed him I was a mermaid. Fucking broke him.’

Charlie snorted in amusement as she worked away on synching up one of Gabriel’s monologues with a collection of panning shots from around the island. ‘Humans  _ are _ pretty easy to break,’ she agreed. ‘Y’know what I’d love to know? How Crowley took it when he found out. I’ve worked with him a couple times, and he’s such a dick. Reliable and pays on time, but a total fucking dick.’

‘Cas seems to like him,’ Dean said. ‘And I’m using that word as loosely as possible. They’re really weird around each other. Like…like two people after the same mate, and then, right in the middle of a er…mating display, they start fucking each other,’ he explained. He sighed, clicking out his frustration. He had seen such a thing happen back in his old colony, but never between anyone who had already been mated.

‘Some people are just like that,’ Charlie said with a dismissive shrug, making Dean feel a bit of relief. ‘If you meet the producers’ personal assistant, she gives off that vibe with everyone. Oh, and just a warning about Michael and Lucifer… They’re…’

‘Cas said they’re fucking each other on the sly.’

‘Of course he wouldn’t use any tact with  _ that _ ,’ she muttered. ‘Just don’t…say anything about it to them or anyone. They get off on thinking they’re being secretive or having everyone think they’re being taboo. But they’re not, and it’s stupid, and  _ they’re _ stupid. Avoid them if at all possible.’

‘Sure, but what’s taboo?’

.-.-.-.-.

‘I don’t like him,’ Adam whined as he spun around in Michael’s chair. He had eventually grabbed a lab coat, but hadn’t bothered to fasten the front. ‘He’s always after my scales or my “ _ fluids _ ”,’ he said, badly imitating Azazel’s tone. ‘Y’know, I was fine when he just wanted spit and piss. That’s easy. This? This is fuckin’ weird.’

‘Language,’ Michael quietly chastised as he crossed the room to pick up a paper that lay on top of a small stack on his desk. ‘You  _ were _ due for a checkup this week, but Crowley is unavailable.’

‘He  _ stole _ my clothes!’

‘They’re in the laundry. Atropos confirmed.’

‘Well,  _ I _ didn’t put them there, and I know I didn’t ask for ‘em to be cleaned! Wanna know what he wanted me to do the last time I had a “checkup”? He told me to make a pearl. He wants me to go out of my way and make one! That’s so sick! No one does that! You do that for mates! And it has to be a surprise, and…’ He sighed and slumped back in the chair, almost tipping it. ‘I don’t wanna be reminded of being a useless fuckup that no one wants. Some loser second-mate runt.’ He pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them tightly. ‘Why couldn’t I have been more like my brothers? Sunny was good-looking, and even Freckles was a kickass hunter. Looked like crap, but at least he could survive on his own. I can barely catch those feeder fish you drop in the lake.’ He buried his face in his knees and shook, trying to keep from crying. ‘It’s not fair!’

‘Once Castiel’s contract is worked out, then you won’t have to deal with Crowley anymore. How’s that sound?’

‘I’m not talking about Crowley!’ Adam screeched. ‘Azazel!  _ Azazel _ asks for all the weird shit when Crowley’s not around!’ He clicked softly, torn between wanting to stay and leave. Michael and Lucifer had been nothing but kind (albeit like pet owners), but he was happier than he had been with his colony. He didn’t have to prove himself to anyone, and no one was aware that he wasn’t the strongest swimmer nor ineffective hunter. The only problem was Azazel.

Michael set down Castiel’s contract and furrowed his brows. ‘But you’re always complaining about Crowley.’

Adam breathed in slowly to calm himself. ‘He’s mean, but at least he’s not creepy. He just does what he’s s’posed to and leaves. He asks stupid questions about culture and gets huffy when I don’t answer, and if he asks for something weird, and I say “no”, then he drops it. He waits a couple checkups before asking if I changed my mind. Azazel? He just demands it.’ He glanced up and swallowed at the look of rage on Michael’s face.

He looked back down and nodded to the forgotten contract, hoping to distract Michael. ‘So uh…since you’re looking for new blood… Lucifer probably mentioned it? Alfie? Samandriel? He seems nice.’

‘He already has a job,’ Michael replied distractedly.

‘I could still meet him. He could come visit me. You could set up regular check-ins with the film crew.’

‘I don’t think that’s a good—’

‘Oh, come on! You and Lucifer have each other! Why do  _ I _ have to be alone?!’

‘We’re brothers, not—’

Adam drew a frown and glared. ‘Not blood brothers. Humans aren’t the only ones that take in the children of the dead.’

‘I wouldn’t call hopping foster homes and juvie being taken in,’ Michael muttered. ‘All right. I’ll look into getting Samandriel here, but, if he does drop by, you  _ will _ need to be more careful. No running around like this,’ he said, gesturing to Adam’s state of undress.

‘As long as no one’s  _ stealing my clothes _ , then it won’t be problem.’ Adam flinched back as the anger returned to Michael’s expression. ‘I mean… I just… Can I have a second stash? That only  _ I _ know about?’ he asked quietly, hoping he wasn’t upsetting Michael. He didn’t want to lose all the privileges he had.

‘Very well. Although, you might also want…plainer clothing.’

‘I  _ like _ my unicorn shirt,’ he mumbled.

‘At least reconsider the leggings,’ Michael said as the door to his office opened. A blonde woman wearing glasses and carrying an armful of clothing entered. ‘Thank you, Atropos. And when you get a moment, can you find Lucifer? He’s been avoiding me, and we need to speak.’

Atropos nodded curtly and handed the clothing to Adam, smirking as Michael grimaced. ‘I was shopping the other day, and I think I found something that just might suit you.’

Adam looked up from pulling on the pair of hot pink leggings with sparkling, silver zebra stripes. ‘Really?’

‘Mmhm. Really bright yellow with a dark green dinosaur silhouette. I have some fabric glue and glitter. I could embellish it for you. Maybe some stars. Plus, I found my Bedazzler the other day.’

Adam grinned and nodded rapidly as he gave a stream of excited whistles and clicks. Beside him, Michael closed his eyes and tilted his face to the ceiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know if there's any glaring plot holes. I was already using the wrong name for one established character, so there's a good chance I screwed something else up, too.


	37. Chapter 37

Gabriel stared uneasily over the side of Benny’s boat. The water lapped gently at the side, not bringing him any sense of tranquility. ‘What the fuck was I thinking?’ he mumbled to himself.

They had finished packing up Sam’s life a few hours earlier, suitcasing essentials and boxing up his ‘eccentricities’ for shipping. Gabriel had then decided a celebration was in order, and what better way for a mermaid to celebrate than in the water? When he had made the suggestion, Sam had the biggest grin on his face, leaving no way for Gabriel to change his mind. Even after he had been given the perfect out by Balthazar and Anna taking the rental, he had forced a determined nod and set forth for the Singers’ rust bucket.

For a brief moment, he thought he was going to be saved from the excursion when Sam pulled him aside, insisting the entire ordeal wasn’t necessary, but Castiel, Dean, and Charlie happened to be passing by on their way to meet up with Benny. Benny and his much larger, much safer boat (at least from how Castiel had described it).

Gabriel pushed off the railing and went to where his and Castiel’s air tanks sat and checked them.

‘Isn’t that the tenth time? Don’t think it’s gonna change, friend,’ Benny said as he dropped anchor.

‘Seventh,’ Gabriel grumbled in response. ‘You never know if these things’ll spring a leak! I’m not drowning in the middle of the ocean.’

Benny looked from Gabriel to Castiel, who gave him a look that said not to press the issue. ‘Considering your company, I don’t think they’d let you drown,’ he said instead.

‘ _ I _ might,’ Castiel said under his breath, crossing his arms and looking away in annoyance.

Sam clapped Gabriel’s shoulder and pressed a kiss to the side of his head. ‘I’m going to keep you safe. Promise.’

Gabriel nodded as he hugged himself, his eyes drifting back to the water. He’d have to remove his lifejacket and pull on his diving gear in a few moments. He kept telling himself he was ready to get back in the water, but now that he was surrounded by it… His thoughts were interrupted by the sharp whoops and whistles of Dean and Charlie as the pair jumped off the side of the boat, both completely naked.

‘You go on,’ he said with a wave. ‘I’ll be there in a sec.’

Sam laughed and ruffled Gabriel’s hair before kicking off his shorts and quickly hopping over the railing.

Castiel hefted up an airtank and held it out for Gabriel.

Sighing heavily, Gabriel reluctantly pulled off his lifejacket and slipped on his tank, buckling it into place. He tugged at every strap and had Castiel double check before he slipped on his flippers. He slowly descended the ladder leading into the water and pushed away from the boat. All his movements were careful and meticulous, and he eventually dipped beneath the surface.

Benny turned his attention to Castiel, giving him a half-hearted glare. ‘If he drowns…’

‘I’ll resuscitate him,’ Castiel replied. ‘But believe me, I’m not that lucky.’ He pulled on his gear, quick and practiced, the complete opposite of Gabriel. He ignored the ladder in favor of climbing over the railing and jumping away from the boat.

Once in the water, Castiel spun in a slow circle as he sank, looking for the others. He found them just below, Gabriel being towed along by Sam at a snail’s pace. He kicked away and ran his hand along Dean’s tail as he caught up. He gave a thumbs up when Dean faced him with a bright smile.

His leg was tugged, bringing him down a few feet, and he sent Charlie a rude gesture in response.

Charlie grinned and shrugged as she clicked at him. She swam past, aiming for a school of fish, scattering them in every direction before herding them toward Sam and Gabriel.

Dean chirped and whistled at Castiel, trailing off as he realized Castiel had no way of understanding him. He flicked his fins in annoyance and crossed his arms, looking away in embarrassment. Castiel touched his cheek, and he looked up in time to see Castiel pull off his respirator. ‘ _ You shouldn’t do that! _ ’ he tried to say, hoping Castiel could at least hear the alarm in his squeaking clicks.

Castiel just smiled and closed the distance, kissing Dean fully before pulling back and replacing his respirator. He was rewarded with Dean making a low, reverberating noise and pulling him tight, pressing his primary fins against Castiel’s sides. He made a frustrated noise as Dean jostled his airtank.

Making a quick decision, he gently pushed away from Dean and held up a finger at Dean’s confused look. He kicked up and headed to the boat, Dean hot on his trail. He reached the surface and began removing his diving gear and goggles, strapping them to the boat’s ladder.

‘Watcha doin’?’ Dean asked.

‘Making this easier,’ Castiel replied, giving his gear a rough tug then nodding. He turned to face Dean and smiled. ‘I’ll have to stick closer to the surface, but we can still have some fun.’

Dean stared for a moment before the implications of what ‘fun’ could entail caught up to him. He clicked happily and dipped down. After quickly circling Castiel, he resurfaced and tugged at Castiel’s collar. ‘How do I get this off you?’

‘What?’

‘How do I get you naked?’

Castiel blushed and sputtered. ‘Right now?!’

‘Well, yeah. You, me, and no weird metal crap gettin’ in the way of our  _ fun _ .’

For a brief moment, Castiel wished he hadn’t removed his tank. ‘The most you’re getting out of me is the pleasure of giving me a blowjob. And definitely not within any visual range of the people we’re with.’

Dean laughed, his laughter devolving into a series of squeaking cackles. ‘No, no. I meant I just wanna see you. Like back at the lake. And maybe…’ He trailed off with a soft whistle and shrug.

‘Oh. Oh! You want to… Right now? Here?’

‘We could swim out a little farther.’

Castiel bit his lip in thought. If he went off with Dean, then everyone would notice they were missing and would have a good idea of what was going on. Would he be able to handle the teasing? Then again, after Gabriel’s confession of what had been deemed ‘the bathtub incident,’ Gabriel had no right to tease him for what amounted to an impromptu wedding.

‘Cas?’

He sighed as he reached behind himself to fish out his diving suit’s zipper. ‘I’m fine,’ he replied. ‘Let’s get this done.’

Dean swam back a couple feet with a doubtful expression. ‘I don’t wanna force you.’

Castiel whipped his head in Dean’s direction, momentarily forgetting to tread water and dipped under. He pushed himself back up and swam up to Dean, placing his hands against Dean’s chest. ‘No! I mean… I want this. I do,’ he said. ‘I’m just…nervous. And worrying about stupid things.’

‘Are you gonna break again?’ Dean asked, lightly stroking Castiel’s face. 

‘Not right now, no. Not over this. I…I  _ want _ this,’ Castiel said quietly. ‘It’s just pre-wedding jitters, if you will.’

Dean smiled and pressed his lips chastely against Castiel’s. ‘Good. And, uh, you don’t have to be naked,’ he admitted. ‘I just like looking at you.’

Castiel snorted and rolled his eyes as he went back to the task of unzipping and peeling his suit off.

Dean watched as Castiel removed his flippers and suit, somehow keeping his head above water the whole time. ‘Have you done this before?’ He laughed as Castiel tried to duck his head to obscure the view of his bright blush.

When Castiel finished stripping, he led the way around to the other side of the boat and swam out a ways. He turned around and frowned when there was no sight of Dean. He gasped and nearly kicked out when he felt Dean’s hand run up the length of his leg and over his hip to rest on his side. He managed to stifled a groan as Dean kissed his way up his chest. ‘You keep this up, and you’re gonna have to swim for both of us,’ he said before cupping the back of Dean’s head and kissing him.

Dean winked and pulled Castiel tightly to his body. He guided Castiel’s legs to wrap about him and held him loosely as he brought his tail up to press lightly against Castiel’s back and left side. ‘I’ve got no problem with that,’ he replied. ‘But, uh… Remind me how long you can hold your breath?’

‘On average? About two minutes. Too much longer, and I’ll be dizzy.’

‘Uh… Here. How’s about we go down—’ He rolled his eyes at Castiel’s snort. ‘We go  _ underwater _ , and you let me know when you need to come up.’

Castiel nodded along. ‘Very well. Most weddings have dress rehearsals, anyway.’

Dean smirked as he took a shallow breath and gave a quick beat of his fins to bring them a few feet beneath the surface. His spines flexed with excitement. This time, there would be no interruptions. No breakdowns. No worries. Just him and his mate, proving their love and trust for each other. He was pulled from his thoughts when Castiel patted his shoulder and pointed up. He nodded and let them drift back up.

Castiel gasped lightly for air. ‘How’s that?’ he asked with a sheepish smile. ‘I can go a little longer, but I figured I’d give you a little leeway to work with.’

‘Perfect,’ Dean whispered. He licked his lips as Castiel caught his breath. He could have stayed under for about twice as long as Castiel with the small breath he had. He figured he would cut it just a little shorter to be safe. No need to worry Castiel over the possibility of his losing track of time. He lightly kissed Castiel and readjusted his hold. ‘Ready? Gonna go deeper this time.’

Castiel chuckled and took a few deep breaths before he wrapped his arms around Dean’s neck and nodded. He resisted the urge to moan as Dean softly kissed him. He could feel Dean’s tail slowly tracing down his back, and he wondered if he should be doing something similar. He settled on wrapping his legs fully around Dean’s waist, crossing his ankles to keep his hold. He was rewarded with a sharp click of surprise and Dean’s arms holding him tighter.

As Dean angled his head more, Castiel opened his mouth to him. He could taste a mix of seawater and the pie Dean had for breakfast as he was kissed, Dean’s tongue coaxing him into a stilted moan.

Too soon, it was all over. A light breeze ghosted over Castiel’s skin as he gasped for breath, pressing his forehead to Dean’s chest. He wanted to keep going, staying in that perfect embrace. He closed his eyes and sighed, enjoying the feel of Dean’s fins brushing against his thighs as they bobbed along. He frowned and opened his eyes as he took stock of each appendage touching him.

‘Something is touching my ass, and I’m fairly certain it’s  _ not _ a fin,’ Castiel said flatly as he tried to hold himself a little higher.

‘Sorry,’ Dean quickly apologized. He looped his arms under Castiel’s thighs and hoisted him higher. He grinned as Castiel’s legs pressed tightly against his ribs in an attempt to maintain balance. ‘You’re just so hot and amazing! And you’re all mine! And I’m all yours, and it’s just…perfect. My perfect mate. I love you. I’m so glad you got shitfaced, and we got to meet.’

Castiel stared down at Dean in bewilderment. ‘That’s…not how most people react to my drunken escapades.’

Dean laughed as he lazily spun them. ‘Not most people, am I?’

‘No. No, you most definitely are not,’ Castiel replied. ‘For that, I’m glad.’ He leaned down and kissed Dean. For the first time since Gabriel stepped into his office, he truly felt at ease with the crazy turn his life had taken. He felt like he could handle anything, including whatever Gabriel’s producers had in mind for him.

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel’s eyes darted about. If he could forget that he was underwater in the middle of the ocean, then he could almost be having fun. He could almost tolerate the occasional fish Charlie sent their way. Unfortunately, he was hyper aware of his surroundings and the fact that land was nowhere in sight, and he was being dragged farther away from the boat. He blinked in surprise as his head broke the surface.

Sam stroked Gabriel’s hair and whistled his support.

Gabriel took off his respirator and tried to smile. ‘I’m not having fun,’ he admitted. ‘Sorry.’

‘You wanna go back on the boat?’

‘Oh, God, yes.’

Sam laughed and pulled Gabriel’s arm over his shoulders. He slowly swam back toward the boat, careful to keep Gabriel’s head well above the water. They reached the ladder, and he had to readjust his hold of Gabriel as the other started pulling at the gear that had been left on the ladder.

‘This is… What does that dumbass think he’s doing?! He’s gonna get himself killed!’

Sam sighed as he gave Gabriel a small push up the ladder. ‘He’ll be fine,’ he said. ‘He’s with Dean, and a much better swimmer than you.’

‘But we’re in the middle of the ocean!’ Gabriel insisted, pausing halfway up the ladder. ‘What if a shark pops up and thinks he’s a snack?’

‘And a scuba suit would prevent that…how?’

Gabriel threw a glare at Sam. ‘I don’t know! It’d make  _ me _ feel better!’

‘I can go look for them,’ Sam reluctantly offered.

Gabriel stared down at Sam and chewed his lip in thought. Out of the water, he had a more rational line of thought and knew Castiel could easily take care of himself—especially with Dean glued to his side. If they had run off to be alone, it was for a reason. He hoped it was for a more innocent reason than some of the thoughts that jumped around in his head (slick and multicolored and oh, so disturbing to his poor mind’s eye). He sighed and shook his head in an attempt to chase away the mental images.

‘Leave ‘em alone for now,’ he eventually said. ‘If they don’t turn up in about thirty minutes,  _ then _ we… _ you _ go look for ‘em.’

Sam chuckled as Gabriel tumbled heavily over the railing and onto the deck. A gentle tug on his fin drew his attention to Charlie as she surfaced next to him.

‘ _ Caught sight of them _ ,’ she quietly whistled. ‘ _ It’s official. _ ’

Sam gave her a smile, tinged with a bit of sadness. ‘ _ That’s great _ ,’ he replied. It was true, he  _ was _ happy for his brother and Castiel.

‘ _ Don’t think you’re ever gonna get Gold-Eyes to do that. Uh…sorry _ ,’ she said, her clicks and whistles coming hesitantly.

Sam shrugged. ‘ _ There’s always the human way of doing things _ ,’ he replied. He looked up as water splashed atop his head.

Gabriel was leaning over the railing, a suspicious look on his face and a water bottle in his hand. ‘You’re talking about me. I know it. I’m psychic when it comes to stuff like that.’

Sam chuckled and used his tail to send a large splash of water up toward Gabriel, grinning as the other ducked out of the way with a yelp. ‘Just good things! I promise!’ He gave a lopsided smile and blew a kiss when Gabriel reappeared. ‘I mean it.’


	38. Chapter 38

Benny looked up from his book as Gabriel clambered over the railing, ending up in a grumbling pile of dripping equipment and misery on deck. ‘Still alive, I see,’ he said in amusement. He tipped his hat in reply to the glare and tongue he received.

‘I hate swimming,’ Gabriel said as he shed his gear and pulled his life vest back on. He sighed in contentment as he tightened the straps. ‘Much better.’

‘I’m surprised you and your brother haven’t been turned in for this charade.’

‘I’m careful about who I go out with,’ he replied as he pulled a water bottle from the cooler next to his gear. ‘Usually manage to get out on my own. Actually do better on my own, come to think of it. No pressure to...perform…’ He narrowed his eyes as a clicking chattering drifted up.

He quickly leaned over the railing and emptied the contents of his bottle onto Sam’s head, impressed with his aim. ‘You’re talking about me,’ he said accusingly. ‘I know it. I’m psychic when it comes to stuff like that.’

He should have expected the splash of water Sam sent in retaliation, and he almost missed Sam’s reply as he ducked out of the way with squawk. He peeked back over the railing and huffed fondly at Sam’s earnestness. ‘Oh, whatever. Go have fun, you two. Enjoy this while it lasts!’ He cringed at the harshness of his words and quickly backpedaled. ‘I mean… Y’know. Have fun. Out there. In that. ‘Cuz we’re not doing water stuff for a couple more episodes.’

‘You heard the man!’ Charlie exclaimed as she pushed down on Sam’s shoulders. ‘It’s gonna be bathtubs for a while.’

Gabriel watched as Charlie’s tail disappeared under the boat. He sank onto the deck, crossing his legs. ‘I can’t wait ‘til we’re done here,’ he mumbled. ‘This has been one fucked up adventure.’

He looked over to Benny, who’s nose was back in his book. ‘Is it bad that part of me regrets coming here? I mean, don't get me wrong! I'm happy! Ecstatic! Just completely uprooted.’

'Probably how your brother feels,’ Benny replied.

Gabriel pouted. ‘Yeah. Rub it in. Thanks.’

‘Just giving you some perspective,’ Benny said lightly. ‘But I get it. Won’t mind gettin’ back to my own life.’

Gabriel stared at Benny for a few minutes in silence before picking what was probably not the best words. ‘So, murder, huh?’

Benny let out a long sigh and set his book aside. ‘There was an accident during some rough water, and he was pulled down and drowned. I tried looking for the body, but found nothing. Reported the incident, and since there is no proof of foul play, I’m still a free man.’ He glanced at Gabriel and smirked. ‘Gotta say, having my boat commissioned for your little show’s escapades has worked in my favor.’

‘You’re welcome,’ Gabriel bit out. ‘From Cas and Dean’s point of view, I guess it’s the least we could do.’

‘Considering what I’ve been put through with Dean  _ and _ your brother…’

‘Yeah. Can’t imagine me ‘n’ Sam are any better,’ Gabriel said to himself. He kept his eye on Benny, still not quite sure what to make of the man. ‘I know why  _ I _ don’t go announcing the discovery of mermaids, and I know why Cas doesn’t, but what about you? What are  _ you _ getting outta this?’

‘My gran believed in mermaids.’

‘That’s not a reason.’

‘Granny Deanna was my favorite relative, and she insisted she had met a mermaid once. She believed, and that was enough for me. Never fully believed her until Dean was caught in my net.’

Gabriel rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in annoyance. ‘Why does everyone else know about— Wait.’ He looked up, trying to spell in his head. ‘Oh, my god.’

Benny smirked as he reopened his book.

.-.-.-.-.

It was two days later when Gabriel received an email from Michael. He had a drink in one hand and his phone in the other, glaring at the small screen as he hastily made his way to his room. He took the steps leading to the second floor two at a time and cursed to himself as he missed one and ended up with spilling half his drink on his arm. He paused at the top and looked over his shoulder when he heard someone behind him. Half expecting Samandriel, relief washed over him when he saw Sam.

‘What’s wrong?’

Gabriel raised and shook his phone. ‘This. Michael and Lucifer wanna interview Cas.’

‘Isn’t that normal?’ Sam asked, confused.

‘Well, normally, but this? They want something. They want  _ Cas _ . For something.’

‘But this is good, right? I mean, this is what you guys were expecting,’ Sam pressed. ‘He can look into that other mermaid. See if they’re okay. See if they need help.’

Gabriel’s shoulders dropped. ‘Yeah, I guess,’ he relented. ‘But still! He’s my little, baby brother! I gotta worry about him.  _ Especially _ around those two deviants!’

Sam raised his brow in amusement. ‘ _ Who’s _ a deviant?’

‘Them. More than me. More than  _ him _ ! Ugh! I’d tell Mom if I knew it wouldn’t bite me in the ass,’ he muttered as he turned back to his phone as it gave a bright chirp. ‘Oh, great. There’s  _ another _ contract!’

Sam followed Gabriel into the room and watched as his expression morphed from irritated to confused. ‘What’s up with the contract?’

Gabriel mouthed a few lines from the contract and dropped onto the bed. ‘It starts normal enough,’ he mumbled. ‘But then… Well, it starts going on about wanting him on retainer for medical issues for…various species of marine life within the Arcadia Collection.’

‘Retainer?’

‘Er… On call.’ He looked up at Sam and saw the confusion still there. ‘He gets a steady paycheck, and when they snap their fingers, he has to come running to play vet for their pets.’

‘For the mermaid?’

Gabriel nodded as he turned his attention back to his phone. ‘From the first email, it looks like they’re planning on a breakdown. Good thing  _ I _ broke him first… Gonna keep him there for a week or so. Up to a month. Probably to wait for him to calm down. Break him quick, then ride it out.’

Sam sat beside Gabriel and glanced over what was on the screen. His nose scrunched up at the first sentence he read. ‘Are you sure this is in English?’

Gabriel snorted with laughter and bumped his shoulder against Sam. ‘Legalese is it’s own stuck up language, and I’ve signed enough contracts to force myself to learn it,’ he replied with a bitter tinge. He downed the rest of his drink before turning off his phone and shoving it in his back pocket. ‘Right. Freak out over. It’s now on Cas.’

‘Are you sure that’s a good idea?’ Sam asked in alarm. ‘After what he just went through, you wanna abandon him to…whatever this is?’

‘What else can I do? I’m not invited to this soiree, and they’d question me putting the show on hold for even longer than I already have. They’ll say I’ve warmed up enough. I know it! Besides, he could probably handle it better than I could, right now. Fucker keeps secrets better than me, that’s for damn sure. Bastard.’ He sighed and leaned back on his elbows, chewing at his lower lip.

Sam thinned his lips in mild annoyance. ‘Maybe we should come up with a plan,’ he suggested. ‘Just in case.’

Gabriel nodded along, his thoughts already on the show’s next episode. ‘I guess we can send a lackey with him. That’d be you, Dean, or Charlie, and I can’t spare her,’ he mumbled. ‘Don’t really wanna send  _ you _ with ‘im. Fuck, that leaves  _ your _ stupid brother babysitting  _ my _ stupid brother, and everyone’s gonna find out, and how the fuck am I supposed to get you two passports?! I don’t deal in shady shit like that!’

He bolted upright, staring at Sam with wide, anxious eyes. He’d been so busy getting the episode wrapped up and getting Sam packed, that he’d forgotten the most crucial part of whisking away his island romance. ‘What're we gonna do?!’

‘Crowley’s got that covered,’ Sam said slowly. ‘I told you this.  _ He _ told you this. Castiel told you this. The pictures have already been taken.’

‘ _ When?! _ ’

‘Last night. The day before. When we first found out Crowley knew about mermaids. You asked if he was sure. Four times.’

Gabriel’s jaw went slack, and he squinted. He could just barely recall asking Castiel what they were going to do about Sam and Dean’s passports, when Crowley answered for him. He’d asked again, dismissing Crowley’s reply as something else. He remembered more about the schedules and leads Samandriel had sent him during that time. Each time he brought it up, he was nose deep in an email or another worry.

‘Oh, right. Sorry.’

‘Not much of a multi-tasker, are you?’ Sam said with a wide smirk.

‘I get by,’ Gabriel sulkily replied. ‘More a thing of too much multitasking.

.-.-.-.-.

‘This is  _ so _ cool,’ Dean said, his voice oozing in awe. He moved his new passport back and forth, admiring the holographic imprint. ‘Technology is awesome.’

‘Yes. And it’s especially helpful when you’re trying to smuggle a mermaid through customs,’ Castiel said wearily, no longer able to keep the tiredness from his voice. ‘Gabriel’s not gonna like the bill.’

‘Come, now, Castiel,’ Crowley said lightly. ‘You’re lucky I managed to find you someone to forge you a pair of birth certificates on the cheap.’

Castiel gave a bitter laugh. ‘ _ Cheap? _ That was half my savings!’

‘Maybe you should keep your money  _ in _ your savings instead of your checking, hm?’ Crowley countered.

Castiel grimaced, but still nodded in agreement. He reached out and plucked the passport from Dean’s hands and tucked it away. ‘I’ll get you some holographic stickers from the airport or something,’ he said in response to Dean’s pout. He leaned in and gave Dean a quick peck on the lips. ‘I already got you an obnoxiously bright suitcase and a glittery ribbon to stick on it.’

Dean’s pout turned into a toothy grin, and he pulled Castiel close, their noses touching. ‘You’re the best.’

Crowley sneered from the sidelines and rolled his eyes as Jody cooed next to him. ‘Bare with it. I’m almost free,’ he reminded himself. He grunted as Jody elbowed him.

‘Don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched,’ she said. ‘Woulda thought you’d know that by now.’

He crossed his arms tightly, not liking the ominous implications.


	39. Chapter 39

Gabriel handed off a pair of tickets to Castiel. ‘Now, remember, this is reconnaissance. Can’t let them know that we know. If something comes up, act surprised.’

Castiel rolled his eyes as he snatched the tickets away. ‘Yes. I know. Find the brownies, eat one, and pretend I don’t know what pot smells like.’

Gabriel punched Castiel’s shoulder while glaring. ‘You are so hooking me up after this shit storm. You hear me?’

Castiel shrugged in response. ‘Or you could find one of your cryptids where it’s legal.’

Gabriel shook his finger at Castiel then slowly dropped it. ‘Hey, there _was_ a sight—’

‘I don’t care.’

‘Tch. I’m crediting you for the idea of the episode, anyway,’ Gabriel petulantly replied. He sighed heavily as he looked to a nearby gift shop where Charlie was trying to corral Sam and Dean. ‘I’m just worried. I know you can handle your shit, but this is worse than just going into the lion’s den. This is covering your head with sweet ‘n’ sour sauce and sticking it in the lion’s damn mouth!’

‘Wouldn’t that be a deterrent?’

‘You know what I mean,’ he hissed, slapping Castiel’s arm. ‘Just don’t be taken in by sweet promises and top shelf booze. Or the perfect landscaping. And manscaping.’

‘Speaking from experience, I gather?’

‘I shoulda gotten a bigger budget and better timeline,’ he admitted. ‘But I am a weak, weak man, and they know it.’ He squared up, placing both hands on Castiel’s shoulders. ‘Be strong, my brother. Don’t let them win.’

.-.-.-.-.

Dean slumped as far as he could, his knees firmly pressing against the seat in front of him. He spared a glance out the window and immediately looked away. He had thought being in a window seat would be better than the aisle or center, and he was wrong. No good seats existed on planes. ‘I hate flying,’ he grumbled.

Castiel laid his hand atop Dean’s, trying to ease some of the tension. ‘This is the last one for a while,’ he promised. ‘Just boats and cars for the next month.’ He gave Dean’s hand a squeeze, earning an unsteady smile.

‘This ain’t natural. You know that, right?’

‘Considering how my life’s gone this past month, I find human flight to be completely natural.’

Dean frowned as he stared at Castiel. ‘Everytime you say something like that, you say it like it’s the worst.’

Castiel snorted in amusement and shook his head. ‘I’m surprised no one’s _warned_ you yet,’ he said bitterly. ‘Misery is my default setting.’

‘No, no, no. _That_ I got. And I wouldn’t call it that, anyway. You’re default is resting bitch face. No, see, it’s—’

‘It’s not you,’ Castiel insisted before Dean could finish. He leaned toward Dean and pulled their hands to his chest. ‘I’m still recovering from...that announcement,’ he said, glancing around. ‘That, and everyone apparently knows me better than I know myself.’

‘Ain't that bad,’ Dean said with a smirk. ‘Gabe knew what color dye to get you.’

Castiel dropped Dean’s hand. ‘I hope you go bald.’

Dean grinned and ran his hand through his hair. ‘If I do, then _you’re_ the one that’s gonna have to look at it.’

Castiel rolled his eyes. Even if it was at the expense of his pride, at least Dean was a little more comfortable for their plane ride. He hoped everything would go smoothly when they landed. As he watched Dean pull out his new phone and start playing whatever multicolored matching game he had found, he just knew something bad was going to happen.

.-.-.-.-.

Lush, rolling hills stretched for miles around them. Trees dotted the area and lined one of the banks of the lake they were driving by.

Dean’s attention was glued to the lake. At first, he had been overwhelmed by just how much land there was. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe Charlie when she had tried to describe it, but seeing it was completely different from hearing about it. Even seeing it from the air (when he had managed to actually look) hadn’t prepared him.

‘Do you think that’s the lake Crowley was talking about?’ he asked. ‘It’s been about thirty minutes since we went through the gate, right?’

Castiel glanced over as he slowed the car to a crawl. His eyes followed along the edge to the small cluster of buildings ahead. The lake and buildings looked to be almost touching. ‘I think so.’

Dean nodded to himself and patted Castiel’s shoulder. ‘Stop the car. I’m gonna take a look.’

‘What? Now?!’

‘Why not? I’ll just pop in, take a look around, and pop out,’ he said as he hopped out of the Jeep. ‘I'll be an hour. Tops.’

‘And what do I tell Michael and Lucifer?’

‘Tell ‘em I’m a nature nut and went for a walk.’

‘All right, but… Just be careful.’

Dean walked around the car and leaned over to peck Castiel’s lips, smirking. ‘As careful as I always am.’

‘That’s what I’m worried about,’ Castiel grumbled as he watched Dean head off.

Dean hid his clothes under a bush and quickly headed for deeper water, happily welcoming the itchy feel of the change. He dipped beneath the surface and began scanning for any evidence of a mermaid. A small collection of trinkets, piles of interesting stones, or maybe some wood tethered to a stone. Right now, he would settle for any sort of proof.

He checked the watch Castiel had given him. He had about another thirty minutes until his ‘walk’ would be over. He surfaced for air and headed to the lake floor, intent on scouring it for any sign of a mermaid.

As he skimmed the bottom of the lake, he saw a small school of fish drift overhead. He looked up in time to see a yellow and green tail follow. He stared, frozen in shock. He had seen that striped pattern before. But that was impossible. His half-brother was supposed to be back with his father’s second mate.

He chirped and whistled, gaining the other mermaid’s attention. Fins flared up in surprise as wide eyes stared back at him. ‘ _Bubbles!_ ’

‘ _No!_ ’ was screeched back before the other took off.

Dean sped after him, not having to put much effort into the chase. It was more out of confusion that he didn’t just tackle his half-brother right at the start. Ahead of them, he could see the channel connecting the lake to the main building.

Without thinking, he followed.

.-.-.-.-.

Meanwhile, Castiel was seething by the time Michael opened the door to the room where ‘the main tank’ was held. So far, Michael and Lucifer had shown off their collection of exotic pets ranging from odd little insects to rescued large cats. He had been given more than enough champagne to get him good and plastered, but he had managed to find a few planters on the way to dump a decent amount of his drinks.

He could deal with them trying to get him drunk. That was fine. He was certainly not complaining about the angry buzz he had going. It was all the reassuring and assessing glances they kept shooting him that made him want to ram his glass into their smug faces.

‘And here is where we keep our most prized…rescue,’ Michael said, holding the door open for Castiel.

‘And the reason why we would like to have you on call for any emergency that may arise,’ Lucifer added, lightly touching Castiel’s shoulder.

Castiel roughly shrugged off Lucifer’s hand and stepped farther into the room. Before him loomed the mermaid’s tank. ‘Tacky’ was the only word his mind could come up with. It ran the length of the room, party streamers draped along the outer edges, framing what would normally be held within. He could see the backs of stickers and posters that had been taped to the outer glass and wondered if they were covered in rainbowed unicorns and glitter.

He moved closer and looked down to where the tank sank beneath the floor and barely managed to hold back a grimace. The base was lined with a rainbow of colored gravel, and large versions of gaudy fishtank decorations were strewn about. A softly bubbling treasure chest sat atop a mound in the center, clearly the favored decoration if the glitter was anything to go by.

‘I didn’t think this was your…style,’ he said carefully. He looked over his shoulder just in time to catch the shared look. Why had he never noticed it before? They were trying to soften the blow. Keep him from having a breakdown. Should he pretend to have one when he finally came across the mermaid? Were they expecting one? What would happen if he didn’t react as they thought he would? He probably should have practiced. Could he get away with punching one of them right off the bat? Maybe set something or someone on fire?

‘It matches the specimen,’ Lucifer slowly replied.

‘Specimen,’ Castiel repeated, a hard edge to his voice. A voice in the back of his head reminded him he had no place acting like he would never refer to a mermaid as a ‘specimen.’ His notebook of Dean’s measurements was more than enough proof.

‘You’ll be introduced soon enough,’ Michael said, placing his hand on Castiel’s shoulder and guiding him away from the tank. ‘But I think we should have some lunch first. We can wait for your boyfriend to finish his walk. After lunch, Atropos can show him around the facility, and we can work on your—’

A loud bump followed by the sound of skin dragging along glass came from the tank, and Castiel turned to look.

‘Wait, no! Cas! Don’t! It’s not—!’

Castiel stared as a young merman dragged himself to the top of the tank and pointed accusingly at Michael and Lucifer.

‘You’re _replacing_ me?! Why would you do this to me?! I’ve been good!’ Adam yelled. Behind him, Dean entered the tank, clicking for him to stop and talk.

‘Oh, no,’ Castiel whispered, barely aware of both Michael and Lucifer trying to drag him from the room.

‘No one’s replacing _you_ ,’ Michael said reassuringly as he adjusted his hold on Castiel’s arm. ‘I promise.’

Castiel struggled to face the tank again. When his eyes met Dean’s, he saw Dean’s confusion quickly shift to rage.

Dean’s spines raised fully, and he flared his fins before tugging sharply on Adam’s tail. He took Adam’s place at the edge of the tank and hissed down at the pair of humans that held his mate.

Lucifer blindly reached out for Michael, grabbing his shoulder. ‘Are you seeing this?’

Michael nodded numbly, unable to tear his eyes away from the new mermaid. ‘He’s…perfect.’

Castiel stiffened at Michael’s words.

Michael was the first to notice Castiel’s change in posture and narrowly avoided the swinging fist aimed for his stomach. Lucifer, however, received a punch to the jaw.

‘He’s not some _pet_ you can just collect!’ Castiel shouted. ‘I won’t let you have him!’

‘Castiel, it’s not what you think,’ Michael said as he approached Castiel, his hands raised. ‘Let’s…let’s go have lun—shit!’ He ducked, barely avoiding Castiel’s phone hitting his head. He glanced up as the hissing changed to low clicking.

‘I don’t want lunch! I—’ Castiel gasped in surprise as Lucifer grabbed him from behind, putting him in a headhold.

‘Just calm down!’ Lucifer said as Castiel struggled against him. He lost his hold when a small, bright yellow rock hit the back of his head. A swift knee to his groin, and he was down.

‘Don’t you dare touch him, dickweed!’ Dean shouted, readying to throw another rock.

Castiel spared a quick glance to Michael, who moved his attention up to Dean and raised his hands in surrender before taking a step back.

‘You okay, Cas?’ Dean asked, clearly agitated that he was stuck inside the tank for the moment.

Castiel sighed as Lucifer looked up at him in suspicion. ‘ _I’m_ fine,’ he replied and went to where his phone had landed. He frowned at the cracked screen and pocketed it. ‘You, however… What are you _doing_?’ he asked, gesturing to the room at large.

Dean’s fins drooped as he looked around. All eyes were on him, and he grinned sheepishly as he tapped his fingers along the tank’s rim. ‘Rescue mission?’ he tried. Castiel’s put upon stare turned annoyed, so he pointed to Adam. ‘I found the mermaid.’

‘I can see that,’ Castiel bit out. ‘ _Everyone_ can see that.’ He looked over at the other mermaid, already out of the tank and toweling off his tail. His brows raised in recognition. ‘Adam Milligan? The _illustrator_?!’

‘Keeps him happy,’ Lucifer gruffly replied as Michael helped him up.

Michael watched Castiel closely as he paced the length of the room, muttering about a ‘mermaid conspiracy.’ He looked back at Dean, and it finally clicked for him. ‘Isn’t that Cas’s new boyfriend?’ he quietly asked Lucifer.

Lucifer looked up, focussing on Dean’s face. ‘The looker, yeah.’ His eyes slowly traveled down Dean’s length and back up before settling on the large scar. ‘Lost a fight with a shark.’

‘Better than the lawnmower _you_ lost a fight with!’ Dean snarked back, spreading his fins threateningly. ‘Whaddya think you’re doing with my brother, anyway?!’

Adam looked up from pulling on his leggings and shot Dean a nasty look. He whistled out a short insult before hopping down the steps to the main floor to join Michael and Lucifer. ‘I’m happy here. They take care of me. They’re…all I got,’ he stated as he stood before the pair, crossing his arms and glaring up at Dean.

Dean leaned back in confused shock and dropped down to float a few feet beneath the surface as he stared at the odd trio. He resurfaced and looked at Adam in sympathy. ‘ _Your mother’s dead?_ ’ he chirped.

Adam looked away and nodded. ‘ _On the way to a new colony_ ,’ he quietly replied. ‘ _We were hiding from humans, and… She didn’t make it back to the surface in time_ .’ His eyes darted to the sides where Michael and Lucifer stood behind him. ‘ _We think I was around thirteen to sixteen at the time._ ’

‘ _New colony? But you guys were well-liked!_ ’

‘ _A second-mate to a jerk who’s not even there half the time?! We would have been better off if everyone thought he was dead! Add on_ **_you_ ** _, and everyone thinks my kids might turn out looking like you!_ ’

Dean flinched, drawing his fins in tight. He looked past Adam when he noticed Michael gesturing to him. He flared his fins out, and Lucifer happily nodded along with Michael. He huffed in annoyance and pulled himself to the edge of the tank with the platform.

‘You don’t have to get out,’ Lucifer called up.

‘If it will get you to stop ogling him, then, yes, he does,’ Castiel growled as he made his way up the stairs. He paused halfway up and turned to face Michael and Lucifer. ‘If I find out you’ve brainwashed that young man into being your pet, there will be hell to pay,’ he promised.

‘Triton—’

‘Poseidon.’

‘Adam!’

Michael sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment before continuing. ‘ _Adam_ is like an outdoor cat. He’s free to leave whenever he wants, but the food is reliable, and he’s well-treated.’

‘Yeah! So what’s _your_ excuse with my brother?’ Adam spat.

‘Oh, yes,’ Lucifer said. ‘Is he _really_ your boyfriend? Or just your latest obsession? Are you gonna hand him over to an aquarium when you get bored with him? Is this the turtle again?’

‘Fuck you, asshole!’ Dean shouted from the edge of the platform. ‘When I dry out, I’m gonna punch that smug face of yours for dissin’ my mate!’

Castiel’s mouth dropped open, and he blushed at the shocked expressions directed at him.

‘ _Mate?!_ ’ came the disbelieving cry in three voices.

‘My cat likes him?’ Castiel said with a useless shrug. He dropped down on the top step, looking a miserable mess. ‘Look, I know we don’t exactly get along, but—’

‘No one is interested in exposing the existence of mermaids,’ Michael said. ‘Just think of it like your collection of photographs versus ours.’

‘But we would not say “no” to a few more photos,’ Lucifer added. ‘Or an x-ray. And maybe a blood sample!’ He grunted when Michael kicked his ankle. ‘That pigmentation is _rare_ ,’ he continued.

Castiel passed his phone to Dean. ‘You have better aim.’

Dean took the phone and shifted to his side as his tail shrank and split into legs.

Lucifer edged behind Michael and Adam. ‘It’s a compliment,’ he insisted.

Dean clicked out a low growl as he snagged one of Adam's towels, wrapping it tightly around his hips. ‘ _I'm guessing you haven't told 'em where to find any of the colonies?_ ’ he asked Adam.

Adam shook his head. ‘ _No way! I ain't sharing this kush life with_ **_anyone_ ** _!_ ’

Dean nodded slowly before going back to staring down Michael and Lucifer. ‘If I find out you're manipulating Bubbles in anyway—’

‘Bubbles?’ three voices spoke in unison.

Adam ducked his head, a deep blush forming. ‘Closest translation would be “Moonlit Bubbles”,’ he admitted. ‘It doesn't sound as...stripper-y in our language.’

.-.-.-.-.

Samandriel stared at the photo he had just received. A young face with a lopsided, goofy smile stared back at him. He pulled up the original email again and double-checked the attachment. A quick redownload, and his mental image of Mr. Milligan shattered.

‘Who's the twink?’ Gabriel asked, looking over Samandriel’s shoulder.

'Mr. Milligan,’ Samandriel numbly replied.

Gabriel leaned closer. ‘Perfect! The fans'll love him!’ he said, nodding in approval as he patted Samandriel's shoulder. ‘Don't forget: Anna wants to do interviews in the attic. Around sunset or whenever. I stopped listening, so text me the details.’

Samandriel nodded silently. Mr. Milligan was supposed to be old and world-weary, not young. Not happy. Not cute. He was supposed to look like a Mr. Milligan. Not an Adam.

His literary crush turned physical, and he dropped his head onto the table, praying he would never have to meet Adam in person.


End file.
